EPISODE 6: Why Is Trump Challenging Ballots Days Before the Election?

What do you do with a list of 20,000 “likely noncitizens” that keeps falling apart every time someone checks it? And why wait until the election is already underway to use it?

Episode 6 of the Clear Reception podcast follows the number. In Nevada, a federal claim of 15,903 possible noncitizens on the voter rolls shrank to 185, and Nevada says all 185 are U.S. citizens. In California, the Justice Department handed over a list on a thumb drive with a handwritten password, and LA County called it “unreliable.” Then came arrests, threatening letters to election workers, a federal judge’s ruling, and new demands in Washington and Alaska. We look at what the courts said about the timing, and why the delay may be the point.

Before you vote

• Check your registration: vote.gov
• Trouble voting or questions? Call or text 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
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Corrections & clarifications

• Since recording (Oct. 29): On Oct. 30, the Ninth Circuit turned down the Justice Department again, 2 to 1; DOJ says it will go to the Supreme Court. The same day, U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson temporarily barred DOJ and DHS from threatening election workers over ballots in any state, through Nov. 16. In Alaska, DOJ now wants every ballot ranking the second Sullivan set aside, and the U.S. attorney confirmed a criminal investigation. No one has been charged.
• Becker quote (13:16): His words are “The individual did exactly what they were supposed to do.” I said “we.”
• Fox and Arizona (21:15): Fox called Arizona for Biden on election night 2020. Networks didn’t call the whole race until Nov. 7.
• Mail ballot rule (22:22): The Supreme Court didn’t strike down Trump’s executive order. It kept the related mail ballot rule blocked for this election.
• Alaska filing (25:44): The word is “favored candidate,” not “favorite.”

“If the Executive can discount votes and threaten an ongoing election due to unproven allegations, then our democracy is in danger.” — U.S. District Judge David O. Carter, United States v. California, Oct. 28, 2026

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Show Notes

• Order denying DOJ’s request, United States v. California (Oct. 28) - U.S. District Court
• Order, United States v. California (Oct. 26) - Ninth Circuit
• Appeals court rejects Justice Department request for California to set aside disputed ballots - PBS NewsHour
• Judge imposes sweeping emergency order halting DOJ pressure campaign on election officials - CNN
• DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin sends letters to secretaries of state - DHS
• FOIA lawsuit over DHS’s noncitizen voting claims - American Oversight
• 185 would-be illegal Nevada voters were actually citizens, Nevada officials tell DHS - Las Vegas Review-Journal
• Justice Department threatens California with legal action over claim of noncitizens on voter rolls - AP
• Some on DOJ’s 20,000 “likely” noncitizen list in California appear to be U.S.-born - NPR
• Justice Department charges more than 2 dozen in California sweep targeting noncitizen voters - AP
• Thirty thousand mistakes: How red and blue states added non-citizens to US voter rolls - Reuters
• Washington secretary of state says DOJ’s claims of noncitizens voting “deeply flawed” - KOMO News
• Hobbs rebuffs DOJ’s demand to hold ballots, calls list unreliable and timing suspect - Lynnwood Times
• Steve Bannon’s recording on Trump’s election-night plan - Mother Jones
• Donald Trump 2020 election night speech transcript - Rev
• Order denying stay, USPS v. California - U.S. Supreme Court (via Brennan Center)
• Trump administration files lawsuit to block possible Democratic win in Alaska Senate race - AP
• Alaska’s response to the Trump-ordered lawsuit - Alaska Current
• Feds confirm criminal probe into 2nd Dan Sullivan’s Alaska Senate run as DOJ seeks to isolate ballots - Anchorage Daily News