Appeals Court Denies DOJ Bid to Block 20,000 California Ballots

A federal appeals court has rejected the U.S. Department of Justice’s request to block California from counting mail-in ballots from as many as 20,000 people the Trump administration says are likely non-citizens. The decision came by a 2-1 vote from a panel, and it could set up a Supreme Court dispute just days before the midterm elections. The DOJ had argued California should set aside those ballots, but the court sided with opponents of that effort. The ruling preserves California’s ability to count ballots while the legal fight over voter eligibility moves to higher courts.