Justice Department Seeks Appeals Court Help to Block California Mail Ballots

The U.S. Justice Department asked a federal appeals court to intervene in a lawsuit aimed at preventing California from counting up to 20,000 mail-in ballots that the department alleges were sent to non‑citizens. The request seeks to accelerate the case, which argues that counting those ballots would violate federal election law.

The lawsuit, originally filed by the Trump administration, contends that the state’s mail‑ballot process allowed non‑citizens to receive ballots, potentially affecting election outcomes. The Justice Department’s filing asks the court to halt the counting of the disputed ballots while the case proceeds.

California officials have not commented on the request, and the appeals court has not yet ruled on whether to grant the intervention. The outcome could influence how states handle mail‑in voting and the verification of voter eligibility.

Why It Matters

The case could set precedent for how states verify voter eligibility in mail‑in elections, a topic of interest amid ongoing debates over election integrity in the U.S. and Europe.