9th Circuit Rejects Trump’s Attempt to Discard Over 20,000 California Mail‑In Ballots, Calling It Plainly Unconstitutional

A three‑judge panel of the 9th Circuit voted 2‑1 to reject former President Donald Trump’s effort to set aside more than 20,000 California mail‑in ballots, deeming the request plainly unconstitutional.

The petition, filed by Trump’s legal team, argued that the ballots should be impounded like misplaced luggage, despite no indication they were lost.

In the majority opinion, the court described the notion of discarding the votes as "plainly unconstitutional," a phrase that resonated through the marble halls.

With the decision rendered, the more than 20,000 ballots remain safely nestled in California’s vote‑counting machines, continuing their quiet march toward the final tally.

The 9th Circuit’s ruling underscores that the Constitution is not a suggestion but a binding rulebook, leaving the post‑election drama to play out without a ballot‑purge subplot.