Trump Administration Sues California Officials Over Mail-In Ballots

Burlington Plattsburgh, VT, October 15, 2026 —

The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against California election officials seeking to prevent the counting of mail-in ballots from people identified as likely noncitizens until their status can be confirmed.

The requested measure would apply to ballots associated with individuals whose citizenship status has been flagged as uncertain. Under the administration’s request, those ballots would not be counted while that status remained unconfirmed. The summary of the lawsuit does not say how officials would determine when a person’s status has been confirmed.

Details about the case remain limited. The names of the officials being sued, the court where the case was filed and the date of filing were not provided. The number of ballots potentially affected, the legal arguments in the lawsuit and the specific process used to identify individuals as likely noncitizens were also not included.

The available information does not indicate whether a court has ruled on the request or whether any ballots have been set aside. It also does not specify how California election officials have responded. The lawsuit’s immediate issue, as described, is whether ballots linked to people identified as likely noncitizens should be withheld from counting until their status can be verified.

Without further details about the filing or any court action, the scope and next steps in the case are not clear. The information provided establishes that the administration is seeking a restriction on counting certain mail-in ballots, but does not establish that the request has been granted or that ballot counts have changed.

Story summarized from the original created by ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and SOPHIE AUSTIN, Associated Press on www.mychamplainvalley.com, see more information here.

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