The federal government is attempting to pressure local election officials to discard ballots that it deems may have been cast by ineligible voters.

A federal judge has barred the justice department from threatening or coercing election workers to stop processing ballots. The order issued late Friday also bars the justice department from demanding local election officials segregate or not count ballots that the federal government deems may have been cast by ineligible voters. It marks another blow to the Trump administration’s efforts to assert control over local elections. It comes after a federal appeals court on Friday rejected the justice department’s request for California to set aside disputed ballots received in the midterm election, the latest setback for the Trump administration’s efforts to assert control over state-run elections. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/30/justice-department-election-workers-ballots?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

"A federal judge barred the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security from threatening or pressuring election workers to set aside ballots cast by voters the Trump administration says may be ineligible." The judge found that it is likely that "the administration’s actions violated the Voting Rights Act and exceeded federal authority under the Constitution": https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/judge-ruling-doj-threats-ballots-22503688.php #justice copy: @renewedresistance #lawfare