California Judge Rejects DOJ Request to Block Counting of 20,000 Ballots
A federal judge in California denied a U.S. Department of Justice request to prevent the counting of 20,000 ballots from voters alleged by the Trump administration to be noncitizens.
Little Rock Pine Bluff, AR, October 29, 2026 —
A federal judge in California denied a U.S. Department of Justice request to stop the counting of 20,000 ballots from voters whom the Trump administration alleged were noncitizens, according to the information provided.
The ruling means the department’s request to prevent those ballots from being counted was denied. The information available does not identify the judge, the court, the date of the decision, the election involved, or the jurisdiction in which the ballots were cast. It also does not provide the judge’s reasoning or describe any additional orders.
The allegation that the voters were noncitizens is attributed to the Trump administration; the information provided does not establish that the voters were ineligible or that the allegation was confirmed. No details were supplied about the evidence presented, the legal arguments made by either side, or how the ballots were identified.
The Department of Justice’s specific legal basis for seeking to block the count was not provided. The information also does not say whether the department plans to appeal, whether the ruling is subject to further proceedings, or what steps election officials may take next.
The decision concerns a request affecting 20,000 ballots, but the available account does not specify whether the judge’s denial resolves the broader dispute or addresses only the request to prevent counting. No information was provided about the candidates, parties, or election officials involved.
Without the case name, date, written ruling, or further details, the scope and legal reasoning of the decision remain unclear. The confirmed information is limited to the judge’s denial of the DOJ request and the number of ballots at issue.
Story summarized from the original created by Jonathan Shorman on arkansasadvocate.com, see more information here.
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