US Supreme Court Rejects Trump Administration’s Plea to Set Aside Ballots of 20,000 California Voters in Midterm Elections

A fresh dispute has begun between US President Donald Trump and the California government over powers related to elections during the midterm polls. The Trump administration questioned the citizenship of about 20,000 voters and sought to keep their ballots separate, but the Supreme Court rejected the plea.

As the election entered its final stretch, the court's decision came as a setback for the Trump administration. Debate over the federal government's role in the election has also intensified.

Why the Supreme Court Rejected the Plea

The US Supreme Court on Monday dismissed an emergency appeal by the Trump administration that sought to set aside the ballots of about 20,000 voters in California. The federal government claimed that the voters concerned could include some who are not US citizens. The court, however, did not accept the demand. No justice publicly dissented from the decision.

Voter Citizenship Dispute Arises During Midterm Elections

The matter came up when voting in the crucial midterm elections was in its final phase. The Trump administration argued that keeping the disputed ballots separate would allow the citizenship of the voters to be verified first, and the votes of eligible people could be added to the count later. The California government, on the other hand, questioned the reliability of the list. It said wrong identification could affect the rights of valid voters.

Newsom Calls Decision a Victory for Democracy

California Governor Gavin Newsom welcomed the decision and, in a post on social media platform X, called it a victory for democracy. According to State Attorney General Rob Bonta, courts have rejected the Trump administration's attempts in this matter four times.

Administration Had Also Got No Relief From Lower Courts

Lower courts had also sided with California in this dispute. District Judge David O. Carter had warned that setting aside the ballots could throw the electoral process into disarray and weaken public trust in the democratic system. The appeals court later upheld this order.

In another hearing, Judge Trina Thompson questioned the federal government over the possibility of errors in its voter list. Justice Department lawyer Kenneth Kao acknowledged that the list could contain errors.

Over 60 Lakh Mail-in Ballots Returned

Voting by mail-in ballots has been under way in California since early October. Ballots were sent to about 2.3 crore registered voters, and according to Associated Press election data, more than 60 lakh ballots had already been returned. Identifying and separating disputed votes amid voting on such a scale would also have been difficult administratively.

It is notable that voting by non-citizens in federal elections is illegal in the US, but such cases are considered extremely rare. In the American election system, the responsibility for voter registration and the conduct of elections lies mainly with the states. The legal battle between the federal government and California has intensified over this authority.

Earlier, in September, the Supreme Court had also rejected another attempt by the Trump administration concerning mail-in voting. Kristen Clarke, general counsel of the NAACP, described the current action as an attempt to limit voters' rights.