9th Circuit Judges Question Federal Effort Over California Mail Ballots
A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit US Court of Appeals expressed significant skepticism regarding a Trump administration effort to compel California to set aside mail ballots associated with suspected noncitizens. Judges questioned the Justice Department's legal authority to intervene…
Monterey Salinas, CA, October 25, 2026 —
A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals expressed significant skepticism about a Trump administration effort to compel California to set aside mail ballots associated with suspected noncitizens. The judges questioned both the Justice Department’s authority to intervene in state election processes and the reliability of the data used to identify potential noncitizen voters.
The concerns described by the panel involve two central issues in the effort: whether the federal government has the legal authority to require the state to take the requested action, and whether the information used to flag voters is dependable. The summary of the proceedings does not provide details about the data, how it was assembled, or how many ballots may be affected.
The judges’ skepticism does not, by itself, establish the outcome of the case. The available information does not say whether the panel issued a ruling, what any decision would require, or whether the effort could affect particular ballots. It also does not provide the date of the proceeding, the names of the judges, or further arguments from either side.
The dispute centers on a federal request involving California’s handling of mail ballots and voter identification information. The questions raised by the panel indicate that the legal basis for federal intervention and the quality of the underlying data are at issue. No additional details about the administration’s request or the state’s response were provided.
Story summarized from the original created by CNN Newsource on kioncentralcoast.com, see more information here.
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