California Governor Plans Legal Action Against Trump Administration Over Mail-in Voting Restrictions

<p>California Governor Gavin Newsom announced plans to sue the Trump administration regarding its efforts to restrict mail-in voting after the Supreme Court allowed the administration to enforce certain provisions of President Donald Trump’s executive order related to "election integrity" while litigation is ongoing.</p><p>The announcement follows a Supreme Court ruling on August 25, 2026, which was decided 6-3 in favor of the Trump administration, lifting an injunction that had previously blocked the order in 23 states ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.</p><p>The Supreme Court emphasized that its decision pertained to the injunction rather than the overall legality of the order, indicating that further legal challenges could still be pursued.</p><p>In a statement from his office, Newsom criticized the Supreme Court's decision, stating, "The Supreme Court just let the Trump administration move ahead (for now) with its plan to disenfranchise voters across the country. California will be suing AGAIN to block these Orwellian rules from being implemented."</p><p>Newsom's office also pointed out two election-related bills currently progressing through the California Legislature that aim to safeguard the state's elections from interference.</p><p>According to the governor’s office, Assembly Bill 282 would create new felonies related to the seizure of ballots, election records, or certified voting technology before election results are certified. Senate Bill 259 would impose criminal penalties for interfering with the delivery or return of mail-in ballots, including a felony that could result in up to four years in prison in certain situations.</p><p>The governor’s office described these measures as part of an "Election Protection" package, which builds on previous election-related legislation signed by Newsom earlier in the summer.</p><p>The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and the Department of Justice indicated they would proceed with implementing the revised mail-ballot restrictions following the Supreme Court's ruling.</p><p>Trump’s executive order instructs federal agencies to compile citizenship-based lists of eligible voters and directs the USPS to deliver mail-in ballots only to individuals on these approved lists.</p><p>In its ruling, the Supreme Court stated that the provision directing the Department of Homeland Security to create and distribute state citizenship lists imposed obligations on federal agencies rather than on the states themselves.</p><p>The court noted: "[It] directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to take appropriate action to create and distribute State Citizenship Lists. This provision is an internal directive from the President to a subordinate. It imposes no obligations on the States, so they ‘suffer no concrete harm from’ it, and without concrete harm, there is no standing."</p><p>Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented in the ruling.</p><p>A representative for Newsom did not immediately respond to requests for comment.</p>