Trump Challenges California Ballots as Midterms Begin

President Donald Trump filed an emergency request with the US Supreme Court to block California from counting mail-in ballots from more than 20,000 suspected non-citizens. This legal action coincided with final campaign appeals as the United States entered the 2026 midterm elections to determine control of Congress.

In other legal developments, a federal judge dismissed a United States Department of Justice lawsuit that had sought to block the certification of the Senate race in Alaska if the incumbent lost. Meanwhile, the Michigan Senate race saw a significant shift when US Representative Haley Stevens broke party ranks to endorse Republican Mike Rogers over Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed, citing concerns over political rhetoric and an outside advertisement.

Election officials are preparing voters for potential delays in final results due to varying state laws. In Detroit, officials expect to report 95% of results on election night but warned that late absentee submissions could slow tabulation. Extended deadlines in California and Alaska, along with ranked choice voting in Maine and Alaska, are expected to further prolong the process. Early voting has already seen a surge, with 55 million ballots cast according to the University of Florida Election Lab.