Supreme Court Rejects Bid to Set Aside 20,000 California Ballots, Handing State a Major Victory
In a significant legal victory for California, the Supreme Court on Monday rejected a bid to set aside 20,000 mail-in ballots, allowing the state to continue using its existing procedures for processing ballots and determining voter eligibility. The ruling comes just hours before Election Day in an extraordinary election dispute that reached the nation’s highest court. The decision means the lower-court rulings remain in place, and California can proceed with its established vote-by-mail protocols without disruption.nnThe case arose as Republicans, fighting to maintain control of the House and Senate in the closing days of the 2026 midterm campaign season, sought federal intervention. President Trump has repeatedly claimed that significant numbers of noncitizens are voting in U.S. elections, a claim that has been widely disputed. The government’s lawsuit argued that intervention was necessary because the case would essentially be “moot” if prompt action wasn’t taken. However, the Supreme Court’s majority cited a 2013 opinion written by the late Justice Antonin Scalia, who spoke for a 7-2 majority in rejecting an Arizona law that required documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote. The two judges in the majority wrote: “If the United States believes different procedures are necessary for vote-by-mail ballots, we believe it should take that suggestion to Congress, not the courts.”nnThis ruling underscores the Court’s reluctance to interfere with state election procedures, particularly close to an election. It also reaffirms the principle that changes to voting procedures should be pursued through the legislative process rather than judicial intervention. California officials celebrated the decision as a victory for democracy and vowed to remain vigilant. “We will remain vigilant and keep fighting back against federal efforts to undermine our democracy,” said one official. The ruling ensures that California’s vote-by-mail system, which has been in place for years, will continue to operate without federal interference, preserving access to the ballot for millions of voters.nnThe dispute highlights the ongoing national tension over election integrity and voting rights. While the Supreme Court’s decision provides immediate relief for California, it also signals that similar battles may lie ahead. The Court’s reliance on the Scalia opinion emphasizes a consistent stance: federal courts should not be used to impose new voting requirements without congressional action. As
Shimanta Das 
