A federal judge has rejected a request by the U.S. Justice Department to prevent California from counting mail ballots cast by more than 20,000 registered voters whose citizenship status was questioned by the administration. The decision leaves the dispute over voter eligibility and the handling of ballots unresolved as officials prepare for the November midterm elections.

Judge David Carter raised concerns about the timing of the federal intervention, the authority of states to administer elections and the possibility that eligible voters could be excluded on the basis of allegations that have not been established. His ruling represents a setback for the Justice Department’s effort to block the ballots from being counted.

California officials had defended the state’s existing election safeguards and challenged the reliability of the federal government’s data. Their position reflects a broader disagreement over how voter eligibility should be assessed and how federal scrutiny should interact with state election procedures.

The Justice Department has said it will appeal the ruling to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The department maintains that counting the disputed ballots could interfere with the enforcement of federal voting laws, setting up a further legal contest over the issue.

The timing of the case adds significance to the dispute. Election officials are processing ballots ahead of the November midterm elections, making decisions about eligibility and ballot counting especially consequential for the administration of the vote.

The ruling does not settle the underlying legal questions or determine the outcome of the planned appeal. Instead, it leaves the parties to continue their dispute through the courts, with the treatment of the challenged ballots remaining a central issue.