Dont ComplyReason reports that the Justice Department demanded California election officials segregate mail-in ballots from 20,000 voters it called "likely noncitizens," based on a Homeland Security list. State and local officials declined, and the department threatened to prosecute election workers. Judge Trina Thompson issued a temporary restraining order barring the department from threatening or coercing those officials, finding the threats likely violated federal law against voter intimidation under color of law. Judge David Carter rejected the department's request to compel segregation, calling its claims "not credible," and the 9th Circuit declined to override him. In Alaska, Chief Judge Sharon Gleason dismissed a department suit seeking to delay certification and investigate votes in the Senate race, calling the remedy "infeasible." Reason did not report a response from the Justice Department.
Why it matters
Federal judges found or indicated that the executive branch sought to override state authority over elections days before voting, and one found its threats against election workers likely unlawful. The rulings bear on who controls how elections are run.
Researched with AI assistance from the sources listed here and reviewed under our methodology.