9TH CIR.Court order
Ninth Circuit rejects Justice Department bid to make California set aside 20,000 disputed ballots
A divided Ninth Circuit panel on October 30 denied the Justice Department's request for an injunction pending appeal that would have required California to set aside ballots from some 20,000 people the administration says may be noncitizens. Judges Mark Bennett and Gabriel Sanchez said the government had not met its burden and warned the relief risked disenfranchising eligible voters and jeopardizing the tabulation process. Judge Patrick Bumatay dissented.
Key points
- The 2-1 unsigned ruling denied the Justice Department an injunction pending appeal.CBS News
- The administration alleges California sent ballots to about 20,000 people who may not be U.S. citizens.CBS News
- The majority found no clear error in the district court's finding that segregating specific ballots was not feasible.CBS News
- A district judge had already denied the government's request, warning it could disenfranchise citizens.CBS News
- California officials say the federal list is highly unreliable and likely includes many citizens.CBS News