Key Developments

The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday moved to dismiss its own lawsuit aimed at stopping California from counting roughly 20,000 ballots that federal officials alleged went to noncitizens. The legal maneuver arrived days after significant Republican losses in the midterm elections and roughly a week before a scheduled hearing where a special master was set to evaluate the list's accuracy.

California election officials previously maintained that the federal list was outdated and included legitimate voters. The presiding federal judge echoed those concerns in a blistering order denying the government's initial request. Earlier, on the eve of Election Day, the Supreme Court rejected a Justice Department emergency appeal seeking to require California to separate mail ballots received from the targeted individuals.

According to state election officials, California had processed roughly 9 million ballots by early Friday, with nearly 5 million still pending. The Justice Department's motion to dismiss stated that the state had already commingled the challenged ballots with lawful ones, rendering the desired relief impossible.

Key Takeaways

  • Lawsuit Dismissal: The Justice Department voluntarily moved to dismiss its California election lawsuit after ballots became commingled.
  • Supreme Court Action: On the eve of Election Day, the Supreme Court rejected a Justice Department emergency appeal regarding the ballots.
  • State Progress: California officials continued processing millions of ballots, making the separation of targeted votes unachievable.

Why It Matters

The case stood at the forefront of the Trump administration's broader efforts to assert federal control over state-run elections and enforce restrictions based on unverified allegations of illegal voting. With the voluntary dismissal of the California suit and the swift dismissal of a similar post-election challenge in Alaska, the administration faces mounting hurdles in its legal strategies regarding state voting administration.