US appeals court rejects Trump administration request to block California ballots

On October 30, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco rejected an emergency request from the Trump administration to temporarily block the counting of mail-in ballots from over 20,000 registered voters in California. The administration had challenged these voters' American citizenship, arguing they might participate illegally in the upcoming midterm elections. The court ruled 2-1 against the government's motion, marking the second time this week that the same circuit court has denied such an urgent petition.

The judicial action occurs just days before the midterm elections scheduled for next Tuesday, where Republicans led by President Donald Trump are working to retain their congressional majority. The administration has recently increased pressure on state officials, asserting that non-citizens are present on voter rolls. However, available evidence suggests that such occurrences are extremely rare. The court's refusal to issue an injunction prevents the requested suspension of the counting process, allowing California officials to proceed with the verification and tabulation of these ballots as part of the standard electoral procedure.