Supreme Court Blocks Trump Ballot Segregation Push in California as Midterm Eve Legal Battles Multiply

The US Supreme Court on November 3 rejected the Trump administration's bid to force California to set aside ballots the Justice Department claimed may have been cast by noncitizens, a significant legal defeat for the White House on the eve of the 2026 midterm elections. The court moved quickly, letting California count all ballots without restriction, as state officials and critics argued the federal government's evidence was unreliable and risked disenfranchising legitimate citizens.

The legal skirmishing extended beyond California. A federal district judge, Trina Thompson, issued an order barring the Trump administration from demanding that state and local officials set aside certain ballots and from threatening election officials with criminal prosecution. Democratic Party groups had sought a similar emergency block on the noncitizen-ballot pressure campaign, but that specific bid failed. Hours later, a US appeals court halted Judge Thompson's order, reinstating the administration's ability to make those demands and threats in the final stretch before and after Tuesday's voting.

The competing rulings left the legal landscape unsettled heading into Election Day. The DOJ had separately targeted Washington state, asking it to sequester roughly 400 ballots from voters it said may not be citizens. On the candidate front, Michigan drew attention as Abdul El-Sayed sought to become the first Muslim elected to the US Senate, with both parties making final arguments to voters across contested races nationwide.