Center · Read · November 2, 2026
Nov 2 · On the eve of the midterms, the Supreme Court denies the Trump administration's emergency request to make California set aside mail ballots from more than 20,000 people it says are likely noncitizens
SCOTUSblog: Supreme Court declines Trump administration's request to intervene in California ballot dispute
Grade B (82/100). Article: the brief, unsigned order with no noted dissents, Sauer's filing and arguments, the lower-court denials and Kagan's referral to the full Court
B: Leaves out key context.
- Leaves out something important (minus 18 points): gives Sauer's arguments over five paragraphs but not California's (that the federal list is unreliable and that setting the ballots aside could disenfranchise eligible voters), which CBS and Fox report; only Judge Carter's doubts about the list appear
Splits: Article: the brief, unsigned order with no noted dissents, Sauer's filing and arguments, the lower-court denials and Kagan's referral to the full Court
Same story: CBS News, Fox News
More graded coverage
- More from SCOTUSblog: SCOTUS won't disturb Texas-DOJ deal on deportation proceedings (B)
- More from SCOTUSblog: Supreme Court allows New Hampshire to restrict use of student IDs in voting (A)
- More from SCOTUSblog: Trump administration asks justices to allow border wall construction to continue (A)
- Also graded November 2, 2026: Washington Examiner: President Donald Trump said he'd welcome Rep. Haley Stevens to the Republican party. The president spoke to press alongside Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. (A)
- Also graded November 2, 2026: The Hill: Federal judge dismisses case against ex-FBI officials accused of lying about Biden laptop probe (A)
- Also graded November 2, 2026: The Bulwark: .@SarahLongwell25 on why this election should be a total repudiation of Trump: “It's time for Trump and for Republicans to feel the full weight of what they've done.” (D)
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