A federal judge in Washington issued a sharp rebuke on Tuesday regarding the Justice Department's handling of a lawsuit concerning mail ballots in California. The legal action had sought to compel state officials to set aside votes from approximately 20,000 registered voters who were alleged to be noncitizens. Judge David Carter, a U.S. District Court judge, characterized the administration's decision to voluntarily dismiss the case just weeks before the midterm elections as a strategic move to sow discord among voters and election staff.
The judge’s brief one-paragraph order highlighted the timing of the dismissal. It noted that the suit was filed in mid-October, a period after voting had already commenced in California and after hundreds of thousands of mail-in ballots had been returned to local election offices. Carter stated in his ruling that the lawsuit attempted to disrupt an ongoing electoral process and generate significant uncertainty for those involved in the voting procedure.
In his written order, Carter emphasized the importance of public confidence in the electoral system. He wrote that the right to vote is sacred and that trust in democracy is equally vital. The judge’s comments served as a formal closing of the case, which also resulted in the cancellation of a hearing that had been scheduled for Friday.
The original lawsuit was brought by the Trump administration against California officials and Dean Logan, the Los Angeles County registrar-recorder and county clerk. The Justice Department alleged that more than 20,000 individuals who were not U.S. citizens were registered to vote in the state. The department sought a court order that would force election workers to separate and hold the mail ballots returned by these suspected noncitizens until their citizenship status could be verified.
The administration had previously secured similar relief from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. However, after the Supreme Court denied a request for further review, the Justice Department notified Judge Carter on Saturday that it intended to dismiss the case voluntarily. A lawyer for the department explained in a court filing that the United States was evaluating the best methods to protect American votes, including measures to prevent vote dilution by noncitizens.
The Trump administration argued that the dismissal was necessary because the upcoming hearing date had become impractical. They contended that by the time of the Friday hearing, California would have already mixed the challenged ballots with those from verified citizens. According to the administration, this commingling would make it impossible to segregate the specific ballots in question, rendering the requested relief unavailable and making voluntary dismissal the only viable option.
The case drew attention due to its proximity to the November 3 midterm elections. The swift dismissal and the judge’s critical response have fueled ongoing debates about the role of federal courts in state election administration and the management of mail-in voting processes during high-stakes election years.
