Legal dispute over ballots in California ahead of midterm elections

A legal dispute erupted in California ahead of the congressional midterm elections, as election officials objected to Trump administration demands to disqualify ballots of thousands of people suspected of being ineligible to vote. The Justice Department gave a 48-hour deadline to provide information, while an official in Napa County affirmed he would continue with standard procedures.

A legal dispute erupted in the U.S. state of California over ballots ahead of the congressional midterm elections scheduled for November 3. Election officials in the state objected to demands by the Trump administration to disqualify ballots linked to thousands of people whom federal authorities suspect of being ineligible to vote, in a new escalation of the conflict between the state and the U.S. Justice Department. According to the Associated Press, letters sent by the Justice Department to election officials in California counties raised objections regarding data accuracy and the deadline for response, after the department demanded information about voters suspected of not holding U.S. citizenship, and to disqualify their ballots pending verification of their eligibility. The department gave local officials a 48-hour deadline to provide the requested information, at a time when counties had already begun receiving mail-in ballots and managing early voting operations. Napa County election official John Tuteur said he would continue managing the electoral process according to standard procedures, without making changes in response to federal demands. The Justice Department asserts that U.S. law prohibits non-citizens from voting in federal elections, noting that a review conducted in cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security identified more than 20,000 people who are likely non-citizens and registered to vote in California. However, these findings are based on preliminary estimates by federal authorities and do not constitute judicial proof of ineligibility for all individuals.