US judge blocks Justice Dept ballot threats

A US federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the Justice Department from threatening state and local election officials with criminal prosecution if they do not follow its directives on processing ballots before the November 3 midterm elections.

Judge Trina Thompson of the Northern District of California issued the temporary restraining order in a case brought by labor union and civil rights groups against the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security.

Thompson ordered officials not to threaten, intimidate or coerce state or local election officials or workers into halting the processing of ballots from registered voters solely because the government alleges the voter is ineligible. She also ruled that Justice Department officials must not threaten election officials and workers with criminal prosecution for failing to comply with such demands.

The order, which expires on November 16, also bars demands to remove specific registered voters from voter lists, refuse ballots to specific voters, or demand that ballots not be counted because of alleged ineligibility to vote.

Thompson said the temporary order was justified because of the fast-approaching election date and because the plaintiffs had shown they were likely to succeed on the merits of their claims. She described intimidation and threats of criminal prosecution against election workers as contrary to law and arbitrary and capricious.

The order restricts Trump administration efforts to stop ballots from being processed for people it says might not be US citizens. President Donald Trump's Republican Party is at risk of losing control of Congress in the elections.

On Wednesday, another federal judge rejected Justice Department efforts to set aside the ballots of more than 20,000 California voters it said might not be citizens, calling the move brazen pre-election “interference.”