California Governor Newsom Plans Legal Action Against Trump Administration Over Mail-In Voting

<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>This announcement follows a Supreme Court ruling on August 25, 2026, in which the court ruled 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 clarified that its decision pertained to the injunction rather than the ultimate legality of the executive order, leaving the possibility for further legal challenges open.</p><p>In a statement, 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 highlighted two election-related bills currently in the California Legislature aimed at protecting the state’s elections from interference. According to the governor’s office, AB 282 would create new felonies related to the seizure of ballots, election records, or certified voting technology prior to the certification of election results. SB 259 would impose criminal penalties for interfering with the delivery or return of mail-in ballots, potentially resulting in a felony charge with a maximum sentence of four years in prison in certain circumstances.</p><p>The governor’s office referred to these measures as an "Election Protection" package, indicating that they build upon previous election-related legislation signed by Newsom earlier in the summer.</p><p>The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and the Department of Justice announced plans to implement 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 appearing on these approved lists.</p><p>In its ruling, the Supreme Court noted that the provision directing the Department of Homeland Security to create and distribute state citizenship lists imposed obligations on federal agencies rather than the states themselves. The court stated, "[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 this case.</p><p>A representative for Newsom did not immediately respond to requests for comment.</p>