Politics · October 25, 2026

Appeals court to hear arguments in Trump admin's voting suit against California

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held a rare Sunday hearing to consider an emergency request by the Justice Department to segregate approximately 20,000 mail-in ballots in California. The Trump administration argues these ballots are tied to suspected noncitizens, while California officials contend the list is unverified and contains lawful voters. During the nearly two-hour session, the judges expressed skepticism regarding the federal government's jurisdiction to intervene in state election processes and whether the court could act before a district court ruling. No immediate decision was reached, though a ruling is expected shortly.