US Midterm Elections Open as DOJ Seeks Supreme Court Intervention on California Ballots

Voters in the United States cast ballots on November 3 in midterm elections that will determine control of the House and Senate. On the eve of the vote the Department of Justice asked the Supreme Court to intervene in a California dispute over roughly 20,000 mail ballots that the administration says belong to likely noncitizens. Lower courts had rejected the request to segregate or set aside those ballots.

A federal judge in another case ordered the administration to halt a pressure campaign against election officials nationwide. Judge Trina Thompson wrote that the actions were likely to interfere with election administration and disenfranchise lawful voters. Separately, a judge rejected a Justice Department lawsuit that sought to block certification of Alaska's Senate race if Republican incumbent Dan Sullivan lost to Democrat Mary Peltola. The suit cited the presence of two candidates named Dan Sullivan on the ballot.

In Michigan, Democratic Representative Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Mike Rogers for the Senate two days before the election. Stevens had lost the Democratic primary to progressive Abdul El-Sayed. The El-Sayed campaign reported a $2.4 million fundraising day after the endorsement became public. House Democrats discussed possible responses to Stevens. Control of the Senate hinges on a small number of races. Recent polls showed Democratic candidates leading in five key contests.

President Donald Trump campaigned in Iowa for Republican Ashley Hinson and stated he would become "Mr. Veto" if Democrats win both chambers. Vice President JD Vance appeared in Ohio. A federal judge dismissed charges against two former FBI officials accused of lying about the Hunter Biden investigation, citing rushed procedures and weaponization concerns. Another judge again dismissed Trump's $10 billion lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal over Epstein reporting.

The California ballot case is the first midterm-related matter to reach the Supreme Court. The administration argues that California should set aside ballots tied to a database analysis of noncitizen voting. Opponents say the method is unreliable and would delay counting of valid votes. Early voting numbers in several states already exceed 2022 levels. New Zealand reported more than 913,000 advance votes in the first seven days of its own election period, but the U.S. figures remain the immediate focus.

Senate races in Texas, Alaska, and Maine appeared on some predictive maps as possible Democratic gains. House Democrats need to flip a small number of seats to regain the majority. The Michigan endorsement and the California litigation add last-minute variables. Election officials in multiple states have reported increased scrutiny and legal filings in the final days.

Results will arrive over the course of the night and into the following days as mail ballots are processed. The concrete developments already recorded include the Supreme Court filing, the Alaska ruling, the Michigan endorsement, and the dismissal of the FBI-related charges. Those actions define the legal and political environment in which voters are casting ballots. The numbers that matter now are the seat margins in the two chambers and the volume of outstanding mail ballots in contested states.