Supreme Court Rejects Trump Bid to Block California Ballots

A major legal challenge to the 2026 US midterm elections ended Monday after the Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump's administration's attempt to set aside 20,000 disputed ballots in California. The decision came on November 2, one day before Election Day, as more than 57 million Americans had already voted early nationwide.

The ruling preserved decisions by two lower courts and prevented the federal government from removing the contested ballots from California's ongoing election count. The elections will determine which party controls Congress during the final two years of Trump's second presidential term, according to CBS News and BBC reporting.

The Justice Department argued that the ballots might have been cast by non-US citizens. California election officials challenged the government's evidence, describing the identification process as inaccurate and warning that eligible voters could lose their right to participate.

The Supreme Court issued a one-line order denying the administration's request for an injunction. Its decision left the lower courts' rulings intact and effectively ended the federal government's effort to segregate the ballots.

The court's order stated, "The application for injunction pending appeal presented to Justice Kagan and by her referred to the Court is denied."

California had approximately 23 million registered voters. More than six million mail-in ballots had arrived by Sunday night, according to the California secretary of state's office.

The dispute escalated after the Justice Department contacted California election officials and the Los Angeles County Registrar, requesting that 20,000 ballots be separated. The administration described the targeted voters as "likely" non-citizens in court documents.

About a week later, armed Department of Homeland Security officials delivered letters threatening criminal charges against county officials and employees who refused to comply. The Justice Department argued that ballots cast by non-citizens could "debase or dilute valid votes."

A federal appeals court rejected the administration's request on Friday. California officials maintained that the government's list contained numerous inaccuracies and that separating ballots during an active election was impractical.

District Judge David Carter previously characterized the federal government's actions as an "ongoing pattern of attempted election interference." He also described the intervention as unprecedented in American history.

Trump has repeatedly alleged widespread election fraud involving illegal voting by immigrants and criticized mail-in voting, particularly in states governed by Democrats. Research cited by the BBC indicates that voter fraud remains extremely rare.

Meanwhile, candidates across the country made their final appeals to voters ahead of Tuesday's elections. Trump concluded his scheduled campaign appearances by urging Republican supporters to participate.

During an appearance on Fox News' Hannity, Trump said, "I'm just asking everybody to pretend that I'm on the ballot," adding that "in a way, I am."

He warned that Republican losses could mean his legislative achievements would be "wiped out." Trump also expressed confidence in the party's prospects, saying, "If our people vote, we win in a landslide."

In Iowa, Democratic Senate candidate Josh Turek described his contest against Republican Ashley Hinson as one of the closest races in the country. Speaking at a campaign event in Le Mars, he said, "This may very well be the closest election on the entire U.S. Senate map."

Turek campaigned alongside former Sen. Tom Harkin as the candidates addressed economic pressures and healthcare affordability affecting Iowa residents.

In Texas, Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico expressed confidence during a Monday rally in Austin that he could end his party's decades-long losing streak in statewide Senate elections.

"Tomorrow night, we are going to do something extraordinary. We are going to do something historic. We are going to shock the nation, shock the world, when we beat the billionaires and take back Texas," Talarico told supporters.

His campaign focused on living costs, data centers, tariffs and US military involvement in the Middle East. He described the economic situation by saying, "We have an affordability crisis because we have a corruption crisis."

Talarico also criticized Republican candidate and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, calling him "the embodiment of this corrupt system." Paxton was impeached by the Texas House in 2023 over bribery and other allegations but was acquitted by the state Senate. He has denied wrongdoing.

The Democratic candidate also criticized billionaire Elon Musk for providing substantial financial support to Paxton's campaign, saying Musk was "almost singlehandedly bankrolling this effort to install Ken Paxton in the U.S. Senate."

Michigan's Senate race also faced internal Democratic divisions after Rep. Haley Stevens endorsed Republican candidate Mike Rogers instead of Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed. Stevens explained her decision in a lengthy statement published on X Monday.

Stevens said her endorsement "was not impulsive, and it was not made for me by anyone else. It was a decision of conscience." She acknowledged disagreements with Rogers but argued that El-Sayed was unsuitable for the Senate.

She wrote, "Mike Rogers and I disagree on many things. But Michigan has to elect a senator and there is no neutral choice that absolves me of responsibility. Once I concluded that Abdul El-Sayed is not fit to serve in the United States Senate, I had to confront who should,"

Stevens said she initially supported El-Sayed but subsequently felt "shut out" of the general election campaign, alleging there was "little effort to listen to the voters who supported me." She also criticized campaign advertisements and disagreements surrounding a Sunday campaign event.

Defending her endorsement, Stevens questioned whether El-Sayed could represent voters who had supported other candidates, asking, "If a candidate cannot make room for people who supported his primary opponent, how will he represent an entire state filled with people who disagree with him?"

She rejected suggestions that her fiancé influenced the decision, describing the allegation as "sexism dressed up as political analysis." She added, "My fiancé has his own views. I have mine.

I made this decision, and I am proud of it. Do not question my independence simply because you disagree with my conclusion."

Stevens also criticized the reaction from fellow Democrats, saying she was "troubled" by colleagues who "rushed to condemn me, question my motives, and push me out," while maintaining, "I still believe in the promise of the Democratic Party."

The endorsement triggered criticism from Democrats, while Rep. Debbie Dingell argued that the controversy was "galvanizing" support for El-Sayed. Stevens separately described the Democratic nominee as "not fit to serve in the United States Senate."

In another development ahead of Election Day, the US military conducted limited defensive strikes against Iranian targets, according to CBS News. The military action added an international security development to an already closely watched election period.