The US Supreme Court on Monday rejected an emergency request filed by the Donald Trump administration to separate thousands of ballots in California, paving the way for their potential exclusion on the grounds that their owners may not be US citizens, on the eve of the congressional midterm elections.
The US "CNN" network reported that the court issued its decision just hours after the request was filed, in a single sentence, without explaining its reasons or recording any objections from the judges, and without asking for a response from California or other parties in the case.
Repeated Requests and Judicial Rejection
The Trump administration had asked the Supreme Court to compel California authorities to separate ballots of individuals whom the Department of Justice said were "likely not US citizens," pending verification of their voting eligibility. US Solicitor General to the Supreme Court D. John Sauer said the federal government had identified, based on publicly available information, more than 20,000 people registered to vote in California who "are likely not US citizens."
The court's decision came after a series of judicial rulings rejecting similar requests filed by the Trump administration. On Friday, the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit blocked the administration from interfering in the process of counting mail-in ballots in California, ruling that the federal government lacks the authority to dictate how states conduct elections.
Fears of Voter Disenfranchisement
The court, in a decision issued by a majority of two judges to one, stated that the risks of non-citizens participating in voting were "uncertain at best," and that the measures requested by the administration carried "a concrete risk of disenfranchising voters." It added that if the federal government deemed it necessary to change mail-in voting procedures, it should turn to Congress, not the courts.
For its part, California and voting rights organizations argued that the administration's claims were based on inconclusive evidence and that the requested measures could lead to the exclusion of legally eligible citizens. California Governor Gavin Newsom welcomed the decision, stating that the Supreme Court had rejected "the Department of Justice's attack on California's electoral process."
Details of the Upcoming Elections
The Supreme Court's decision represents the latest judicial setback for the Trump administration in cases related to the midterm elections. The United States is heading on Tuesday to the congressional midterm elections, which include all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, along with 35 seats in the Senate, including two seats in special elections in Florida and Ohio.
Republicans currently hold 218 seats in the House of Representatives against 214 for Democrats, plus one independent seat and two vacant seats, while they hold 53 seats in the Senate against 45 for Democrats and two independents allied with them. The election results will determine the party controlling Congress during the last two years of Trump's term, with the new Congress set to begin its work on January 3, 2027.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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