A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Friday, 2026‑10‑30, barred the Department of Justice from pursuing a plan to separate ballots for the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, a move that keeps the administration from shaping how votes are divided and counted in crucial contests.
The ruling came in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia after a lawsuit filed by the Trump campaign and other plaintiffs sought to block the DOJ’s proposal, which would allow the agency to assign ballots to specific precincts in order to determine voter thresholds and potential weightings. The judge noted that the proposal would effectively give the federal government a way to tilt the distribution of votes in states where the outcome is closely contested, and underscored that it violates the principle of local control over election administration.
According to the Associated Press, the Trump campaign has long argued that ballot separation by state and county can affect how votes are counted on the same day, while the DOJ claimed the plan would help reduce errors and ensure ballots reach the correct precincts. The judge’s order effectively stops the DOJ from proceeding with any plan to separate ballots for the current cycle, a decision seen as a check on the administration’s influence over election procedures and a preservation of local election integrity.
The decision was announced in a court press release, and the Justice Department plans to file for an appeal. Higher courts will further review the ruling before the November election, as both parties present detailed plans for voter mobilization and ballot infrastructure in the heated 2026 cycle.
