Ninth Circuit Judges Question Federal Suit Over California Mail Ballots
A panel of federal appellate judges in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals appeared skeptical of a Trump administration lawsuit that sought to compel California election officials to set aside mail ballots from individuals suspected of not being citizens.…
Great Falls, MT, October 26, 2026 —
A panel of judges on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals appeared skeptical of a Trump administration lawsuit seeking to require California election officials to set aside mail ballots from people suspected of not being citizens.
The judges questioned the timing of the lawsuit, its constitutionality and whether the federal government has authority to compel state officials to take the requested action. The summary of the case does not provide the judges’ names, the date of the proceedings or the specific legal arguments behind those questions.
California officials opposed the effort, arguing that the federal list used to identify suspected noncitizens was unreliable. They also contended that the process could disenfranchise eligible voters. The summary does not specify how the list was assembled, how many voters or ballots could be affected, or what process would be used to review individual cases.
The dispute centers on whether federal officials can require California to set aside ballots based on suspected citizenship status. The judges’ questions indicate concerns about the government’s authority and the potential consequences for voters, but the information provided does not establish how the court will resolve those issues.
No ruling or next step in the case was provided. The summary also does not identify the lawsuit’s filing date, the administration’s stated basis for bringing it, or any response from the federal government beyond its request to compel state election officials to act. Until a decision is reported, the outcome remains unclear.
Story summarized from the original created by AP via Scripps News Group on www.krtv.com, see more information here.
