Judge orders DOJ to identify states targeted by election demands

newsOct 29, 2026341,193

U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg ordered the Department of Justice to disclose by noon Friday which states received letters since July 1 that demanded removal of specific voters, setting aside ballots, or refusal to issue ballots. The order came during the first hearing in a consolidated suit brought by three national Democratic organizations, the Nevada Democratic Party, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and a California naturalized voter alleging President Donald Trump’s actions violated the Voting Rights Act. Boasberg declined to grant a temporary restraining order but granted limited discovery so plaintiffs can use any new information to shore up standing. DOJ attorney Christian Dibblee told the court the letters are not coercive and that what states do in response is up to them, while plaintiffs’ lawyer Uzoma Nkwonta said the department has escalated intimidation and some states may have quietly complied. Democrats may file supplemental briefing on standing Saturday, DOJ must respond by the schedule set in court, and Boasberg said he will rule by Monday, the day before Election Day.

Ryan Goodman

@rgoodlaw.bsky.social

On the left: Wednesday: Federal judge says DOJ threats of criminal prosecution against California election officials "must stop." On the right: Thursday (breaking news): DOJ "leadership directed top federal prosecutors in California to pursue criminal subpoenas of state and local officials."

The Government has increased pressure on state and local election workers. On October 23, 2026, the United States sent letters to every county in California requiring them to set aside the votes of alleged non-citizens. The letters stated that election officials “risk significant federal scrutiny” if they failed to comply with the Government’s demands. The government reiterated its threat in open court yesterday, stating that State and County election officials who do not comply with their letter risk federal charges under 18 U.S.C. § 2, which criminalizes aiding and abetting the commission of a criminal offense. The court reiterates what it said yesterday: these threats must stop.

3867h ago

Ryan Goodman76

Here's the exclusive report by @benjaminpenn.bsky.social @bloomberglaw.com DOJ Orders Criminal Probes of California Officials Over Ballots news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...

Breathe Free14

At the same time, the DOJ is doing nothing about this - bsky.app/profile/pete...

Jeremy C-howl6

Judges love when they are ignored, right?

Bob Thomas5

Appears to be a genuine concern amongst FBI agents. www.ms.now/news/white-h...

Holli Winters5

DOJ is probably hoping to intimidate those local officials and force them to turn over voter data. Once they get what they want, then they will want more data.

Thinking4

I’ll take, What is contempt? for all the money, Alex

Quoting this

Rowdy3

The DOJ was formed by an act of Congress and it can be undone with an act of Congress

Chris Geidner

@chrisgeidner.bsky.social

Outside of the serious underlying issue, this has to be a top 5 "are you stupid or just stupid?" paragraph from a federal judge to the DOJ in this administration.

G.
Omitted Paragraphs
6
The numbering of the Status Update #6 declaration skips paragraphs 21-31, 34-35,
7
38-40, 43-46, 53-55, and 58-59. The Court cannot determine whether this reflects a
8
drafting error or material removed before filing. Defendants must explain the omission in
9
their October 29 report.

2914h ago

DodgerFanLA5

This kind of sloppiness annoys me to no end in litigation (bad numbering or mislabeling). These guys are also assuredly using AI which makes this even less forgiven.

lanative.bsky.social1

I've seen cases dismissed for that kind of sloppy legal work. Just more evidence of the subpar attorneys at the Dept of Injustice.

Quoting this

Chris Geidner192

This, btw, is a paragraph from this new order from Hinderaker, a Trump appointee in Arizona —>

it's coup for my family2

okay I've missed a paragraph number before but this is insane

Democracy Docket

@democracydocket.com

💼 LAWSUIT TIMELINE 💼 🗓️ FRIDAY, 10/30: By noon, DOJ must list all states it sent letters with election demands to since July 1, 2026. 🗓️ SATURDAY, 10/31: Democrats can argue more for their standing in light of the Friday information. 🗓️ SUNDAY, 11/1: DOJ responds. 🗓️ MONDAY, 11/2: A ruling is expected.

1735h ago

Glenn Kirschner

@glennkirschner.bsky.social

Federal judge calls out Trump administration for its election interference in California. Join us on Substack live at 8:30 pm ET. open.substack.com/live-stream/...

1164h ago

Abuse of Power Watch

@abuseofpowerwatch.bsky.social

📍 𝐖𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐎𝐍: Election officials found U.S. citizens on a DOJ list of more than 400 alleged noncitizen voters. The state rejected demands to set aside their ballots, warning that the flawed list could disenfranchise eligible voters just days before Election Day. #AbuseOfPowerWatch

5912h ago

Quoting this

Gabe Ortíz26

“DOJ’s letter also misstated Election Day as Nov. 2. The election is Nov. 3. “Basic factual errors like this are unacceptable and risk confusing voters,” wrote Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs. THESE ARE NOT SERIOUS PEOPLE #AbuseofPowerWatch

Stephen Wolf

@stephenwolf.bsky.social

Donald Trump's scheming and the Supreme Court gutting the Voting Rights Act fueled a wave of new GOP congressional gerrymanders in 2026 targeting 15 Dems—most were Black or Latino. Dems only managed to target 5 California Rs in response, but they could target many more GOP seats by 2028, shown here

Map of the United States titled "2026 Mid-Decade Congressional Redistricting," subtitled "Trump pushed Republicans to gerrymander nationwide, and Democrats responded." States are colored by which party redrew congressional maps to target seats. Republicans targeted 15 seats in seven states: Texas (5), Florida (4), Ohio (2), Louisiana (1), Alabama (1), Tennessee (1), and North Carolina (1). Democrats targeted 5 seats in California (5). A footnote says that in Utah, a court imposed a nonpartisan map to replace a Republican gerrymander, which will let Democrats gain one seats. All other states are gray, meaning they were not redrawn.

69Yesterday

RoseMarie

@rosesbloom24.bsky.social

A federal judge in Washington ordered the federal government Thursday to provide more information about letters it has sent to several states demanding they set aside ballots of alleged noncitizens during next week’s elections. rollcall.com/2026/10/29/j...

354h ago

RoseMarie4

The ruling from Judge James Boasberg of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia would require the Justice Department to disclose other states, beyond California and Washington, it has sent such demands to since July. (cont.)

Larry Colvin

@larrycolvin.bsky.social

Judge orders DOJ to identify the states it sent election demands #Blues www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...

204h ago

AtlantaDon💙🏳️‍🌈💙🏳️‍🌈💙

@donshantajr.bsky.social

Judge presses the Trump administration for details on its campaign to stop noncitizens from voting apnews.com/article/trum... #Blues #GTS

84h ago

Arizona Mirror

@azmirror.com

Judges in D.C., California and Alaska pressed the Justice Department over its demands that states set aside certain ballots

104h ago

Charlie💙🌊GOP Fascist B**tards Destroys Life Itself

@parforthecourse1.bsky.social

DOJ demands ruling by Friday on emergency bid to stop California from counting ballots from alleged noncitizens www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...

24h ago

Houston Public Media

@houstonpublicmedia.bsky.social

The Potter County GOP wants a federal judge to require election administrators all over Texas to hand count every paper ballot cast before finalizing the results.

34h ago

Langdon Grant

@langdongrant.bsky.social

I mean, a federal judge just ruled against DOJ *yesterday* & told them at least twice this week to stop threatening & harassing California election officials. The subpoenas don't just need to be quashed. DOJ & its lawyers need to be sanctioned & the lawyers need to be referred for bar discipline.

54h ago

James Hughes

@dystopian-fashion.bsky.social

Judge blocks Trump administration’s Medicaid rule forcing sick recipients to prove frailty. apnews.com/article/trum...

24h ago

Mona Burns

@monaburns.bsky.social

"DOJ is making last-minute demands for states to screen ballots for purported noncitizens, relying on data that Dems & election officials say is “almost cartoonishly unreliable” .. a series of tactics experts say is less about law enforcement than about messaging" www.politico.com/news/2026/10...

3Yesterday

3 sources

democracydocket.comJudge orders DOJ to identify the states it sent election demands open.substack.comLIVE SOON: Federal judge STOPS Trump's Election Interference in California rawstory.comJudge's 'withering upbraiding' represents a 'damning' turn for Trump's DOJ: expert

Hegseth fires Pentagon's top military plannernews U.S. Army trains to dig temporary mass battlefield gravesnews Major DHS employee records leak, Bluesky blocks links to archivenews Judge orders DOJ to identify states targeted by election demandsnews

Judge orders DOJ to identify states targeted by election demands

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