In brief
With the U.S. mid‑term election looming, the Justice Department has filed lawsuits targeting ballots in California and the Alaska Senate race, while the Supreme Court overturned a request to lift a federal injunction on new mail‑ballot rules. Courts rejected most emergency requests, arguing the risks of disenfranchising eligible voters. The lawsuits underscore intense partisan fights over election integrity.
As the November 3, 2026 mid‑term elections draw near, a surge of lawsuits is making headlines. The Justice Department has challenged ballots in California and attempted to block the certification of Alaska’s Senate race. A separate case see a Supreme Court ruling on mail‑ballot delivery rules.
In California, the department claims about 20,000 residents it suspects of being noncitizens cast votes. Attorney General Todd Blanche called the suspected violations "state-facilitated voter fraud," while Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said even a single noncitizen vote could dilute legitimate votes. The department sued state election officials on October 15 after they declined to verify citizenship and set ballots aside. A federal judge in California denied the request, warning that the move could "wreak havoc" on an election already underway. The Ninth Circuit also rejected the emergency requests, citing the risk of disenfranchising eligible voters.
California Governor Gavin Newsom sent a letter to federal judges accusing the Justice Department of “well‑documented weaponization” of its power. He said the actions posed a direct threat to election integrity.
In a separate dispute over mail‑in ballots, the Supreme Court on September 14 denied the government’s attempt to lift a lower court injunction that blocked new Postal Service rules. Those rules would have imposed stricter requirements on delivering mail ballots before Election Day. The ruling kept the injunction in place, ensuring the rules would not take effect on time for the vote.
These legal battles reflect deep partisan divisions over how elections are run and who should have the right to vote. Courts have generally sided with protecting voters, rejecting most emergency requests. The lawsuits highlight the stakes for every voter and the heightened scrutiny facing the electoral process on the eve of a pivotal national election.