US court bars threats against election officials until Nov. 16

A federal court in California has barred the US Justice Department from threatening criminal prosecution against state and county authorities that refuse to comply with the Trump administration’s demands to check the votes of alleged non-citizens. NBC News reported the ruling. It remains in effect until November 16, almost two weeks after the midterm elections on November 3.

What the judge ruled

Judge Trina Thompson, who was appointed under former Democratic president Joe Biden, heard a lawsuit brought by unions representing election workers and several other organizations. She concluded that the government exceeded its authority when it began threatening state and county officials with lawsuits for refusing to cooperate with the administration’s initiatives.

The eight-page order prohibits any action that could “threaten, intimidate or coerce” local and state election workers into ceasing to process the ballot of any registered voter solely because the administration believes that voter is not eligible to vote.

The judge said that although the defendants claim they want to prevent illegal voting by non-citizens, their actions “are most likely to disrupt the conduct of the elections and disenfranchise lawful voters.”

The fight over ballots in California and Washington

The order is the latest development in the battle over efforts to force Washington and California to exclude ballots that, according to the government, may have been cast by non-citizens. Earlier this week, a California appeals court ruled against the government, while the case in Washington state is still pending.

The Trump administration has taken a hard line on election oversight in general. For example, it has pressed states to hand over voter registration data. It maintains that stricter measures are needed to keep elections secure and to preserve public trust in the vote.

What is at stake on November 3

The midterm elections will determine the balance of power in Congress, where Republicans currently hold a narrow majority in both chambers, the House of Representatives and the Senate. According to polls cited by Reuters, Democrats could win control of the House and have a real chance at a Senate majority, although a number of races are likely to be hard fought.

The Justice Department did not immediately comment on the court’s decision. Trump has previously made false claims about elections, notably refusing to concede defeat in the 2020 presidential election, when Biden beat him.

Around Prague, based on reporting by seznamzpravy.cz