Yellow Jacket InitiativeUnited States v. California
The 20,000-ballot suit, the county letters and the court record. Every piece we have published on it, oldest first, so you can see what changed and when. The newest is at the bottom.
- October 21, 2026
Piece 1The Justice Department asks a court to hold 20,000 California ballots. Here is what its complaint says.
What the United States' complaint in United States v. California says, by paragraph, and what is not established.
- October 24, 2026
Piece 2A hearing set, an appeal filed: what the record shows in United States v. California
The judge set a hearing on the Justice Department's ballot request for Tuesday, Oct 27; the Justice Department called the wait a denial and appealed to the Ninth Circuit; California and Los Angeles County say there is nothing yet to appeal.
- October 26, 2026
Piece 3Letters to California counties, and the Justice Department's last brief before Tuesday's hearing
U.S. Attorney letters asked California counties to commit within 48 hours to sharing voters' Social Security and driver's license data, and warned that officials who count listed ballots "risk becoming aiders and abettors." On Sunday the Justice Department's reply told the district court it "lacks jurisdiction" over the emergency request, then argued it anyway.
- October 27, 2026
Piece 4United States v. California: the government names the data product behind its voter list
New sworn declarations say USCIS built its list outside SAVE, adding Social Security numbers through LexisNexis's Accurint, and that HSI got California's voter roll from "a DHS senior counselor." A re-check of the County's sample found four people who "might have a claim to U.S. citizenship."
- October 29, 2026
Piece 5United States v. California: the judge denies the restraining order, the government appeals, and a special master will examine the list
Judge Carter found the United States unlikely to succeed and said he "cannot conclude" its list process is credible. The government appealed the same day. A hearing on the list is set for Nov. 13.
- November 2, 2026
Piece 6United States v. California: the Ninth Circuit, 2-1, declines to make California set aside listed voters' mail ballots
An Oct. 30 order says section 611 does not preempt California's ballot rules and the government should "take that suggestion to Congress." Judge Bumatay dissented. No Supreme Court application yet.
- November 3, 2026
Piece 7United States v. California: the Supreme Court declines to order California to set aside listed voters' mail ballots
On Nov. 2 the Court denied the Justice Department's emergency application in one line, with no reasons and no noted dissent. A D.C. judge separately barred demands to segregate ballots.