Trump's request to remove 20,000 mail-in ballots in California rejected A US federal judge rejected the Donald Trump administration's request to separate and not count the mail-in ballots of about 20,000 voters in California until their citizenship is confirmed. Judge David Carter emphasized in his ruling that monitoring the elections is in the hands of the states according to the US Constitution and the federal government cannot force them to change the election procedures. He also warned that the implementation of this request could lead to the denial of the right to vote of eligible citizens.