A federal appeals court panel declined to intervene in a California ballot dispute on Monday. The ruling came by a 2-1 vote.
The Trump administration had asked the court to immediately order the state to set aside 20,000 mail-in ballots. The panel rejected that request.
The decision allows California to continue processing the ballots while the underlying lawsuit proceeds. No ballots will be separated under the current ruling.
The case centers on whether the challenged ballots were properly cast under state law. Election officials have defended their handling of the mail-in voting process.
The administration argued that swift action was needed before ballots were counted. Judges in the majority found no grounds for immediate intervention.
The dissenting judge sided with the administration’s request for an emergency order. The split decision reflects broader legal tensions over election procedures.
The lawsuit now returns to the lower court for further review. Both sides are expected to continue litigating the matter in the coming weeks.
