US Justice Department moves to drop challenge to 20,000 California ballots

Detailed summary

Justice Department withdraws case after courts reject bid to set aside ballots over allegations they may have been cast by noncitizens.

The US Justice Department has moved to voluntarily dismiss its lawsuit challenging the counting of 20,000 ballots in California, after the midterm elections concluded and courts rejected its efforts to have the votes set aside.

The department had sought a court order requiring California and Los Angeles County election officials to segregate the ballots, alleging they could have been cast by non-citizen voters.

US District Judge David Carter and a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the request. The US Supreme Court also denied the administration’s appeal, with no noted dissents.

In a court filing on Friday, Assistant US Attorney Julie Hamill argued that the requested relief was no longer possible because Tuesday’s midterm election had concluded and the challenged ballots would be mixed with lawful votes before a November 13 hearing.

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