What follows are the most significant court cases concerning the 2026 midterm elections. This public resource will be continually updated as major developments occur. For more on the cases brought against the federal government, Just Security’s Litigation Tracker contains full case summaries and documents filed by the parties and issued by the courts.
A. Plaintiff: U.S. Government
1. Justice Department suit to compel California actions on alleged noncitizens
United States v. California, No. 2:26-cv-12025-DOC-ADS (C.D. Cal.), Judge David O. Carter
Claim filed: Oct. 15, 2026
Status:
Oct. 26, 2026: The Ninth Circuit dismissed the federal government’s Oct. 22 appeal, rejecting the argument that the district court had effectively denied DOJ’s pending temporary restraining order (TRO) request. The court denied the government’s emergency request for an injunction pending appeal as moot.
Oct. 28, 2026: The district court denied the government’s request for a TRO.
2. Justice Department suit to counter Dan J. Sullivan on Alaska Senate ballot
United States v. Alaska, No. 3:26-cv-00376-SLG (D. Alaska), Judge Sharon L. Gleason
Claim filed: Oct. 22, 2026
Status: Case Pending
B. Plaintiffs: Private, State and Local Actors
1. Suit to stop DOJ/DHS list matching exercise/voter purge of California
Trujillo (and Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights) v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, No. 1:26-cv-03072-JEB (D.D.C.), Chief Judge James E. Boasberg
Claim filed: Sep. 2, 2026
Status:
Oct. 30, 2026: The district court ordered the government to provide plaintiffs with the list of more than 20,000 alleged noncitizen voters.
Oct. 31, 2026: The plaintiffs submitted a report analyzing the list.
2. Suit to stop Justice Department threats of criminal prosecution of election officials
Service Employees International Union, AFL-CIO (SEIU) v. U.S. Department of Justice, No. 3:26-cv-12800-TLT (N.D. Cal.), Judge Trina L. Thompson
Claim filed: Oct. 29, 2026
Status:
Oct. 30, 2026: The district court granted a temporary restraining order. The TRO bars DOJ and DHS from coercing election officials to halt ballot processing, demanding the removal of registered voters or the refusal, segregation, or noncounting of ballots solely on allegations of voter ineligibility, or threatening officials with criminal prosecution for refusing those demands or lawfully processing and counting ballots. The TRO also bars the federal government from threatening state or local election officials with criminal prosecution for processing or counting ballots in compliance with state and federal laws on the basis that a ballot belongs to an individual alleged by the federal government to be ineligible to vote.
Oct. 31, 2026: The government appealed the Oct. 30 order to the Ninth Circuit.
3. Suit to stop DHS “Unlawful Voter Initiative,” which authorizes DHS agents to visit residences and question people about voter eligibility ahead of midterms
California Nurses Association v. Mullin, No. 4:26-cv-10680-AMO (N.D. Cal.), Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin
Claim filed: Sep. 18, 2026
Status:
Oct. 21, 2026: The court granted a preliminary injunction. The PI bars DHS from conducting election-related field operations and interviews in nine states involving, or likely to involve, individuals it knew or should reasonably suspect are U.S. citizens. The nine states are California, Connecticut, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Oct. 30, 2026: In a per curiam opinion, a Ninth Circuit three-judge panel rejected the government’s Oct. 26 appeal for a stay, and the full court denied an en banc review of the panel decision the same day.
4. Suit to stop DOJ threats to prosecute election officials and demands over alleged noncitizens
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) v. Trump, No. 1:26-cv-03674-JEB, Chief Judge James E. Boasberg
Claim filed: Oct. 20, 2026
Status:
Oct. 29, 2026: The district court granted expedited discovery in part and indicated that it would rule on Plaintiffs’ request for emergency injunctive relief by Nov. 2.
5. Suit to stop DOJ threats to prosecute election officials and demands over alleged noncitizens in State of Washington
OneAmerica Votes v. Trump, No. 2:26-cv-04223 (W.D. Wash.), judge not assigned.
Claim filed: Oct 30, 2026
Status: Case Pending
6. Suit to block DHS/DOJ’s “Voter Data Collection Policy”
League of Women Voters v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, No. 1:26-cv-03602-TSC (D.D.C.), Judge Tanya S. Chutkan
Claim filed: Oct. 15, 2026
Status: Case Pending
7. Suit to stop federal-level “Voter List Maintenance Policy”
Common Cause v. U.S. Department of Justice, No. 1:26-cv-01352 (D.D.C.), Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan
Claim filed: Apr. 21, 2026
Status:
Oct. 9, 2026: The district court vacated the government’s’ Voter List Maintenance Policy.
Oct. 15, 2026: Plaintiffs submitted a notice and request for a status conference to determine whether DOJ’s actions toward California – concerning allegedly over 20,000 noncitizens registered to vote – are inconsistent with Judge Sooknanan’s Oct. 9 vacatur order.
Oct. 16, 2026: The government appealed the Oct. 9 order to the D.C. Circuit.
Oct. 19, 2026: The government responded in opposition to the plaintiffs’ notice and request for a status conference.
