Judge blocks DOJ from pressuring election workers as Trump prepares tele-rallies before midterms

A federal judge on Friday ordered the Justice Department to stop threatening or coercing election workers, including any attempts to direct local officials to segregate or discard ballots deemed potentially ineligible, the Associated Press reported. The ruling follows a recent appellate decision that rejected a DOJ request to sequester 20,000 disputed ballots in California, marking another setback for the administration's efforts to influence local election processes.

President Donald Trump is set to hold a series of tele-rallies from Mar-a-Lago on Sunday, with appearances planned in Iowa and Kansas, three days before voters head to the polls on November 3. Trump has urged supporters to treat the election as a referendum on his leadership, despite declining approval ratings.

In Alaska, the top federal prosecutor confirmed criminal and civil investigations into allegations that a campaign associated with Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola recruited a spoiler candidate sharing the name of incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan. The probe follows claims that the effort was intended to confuse voters in the closely watched Senate race.

Early voting has reached a record high, with more than 49 million Americans having cast ballots by mail or in person, according to the Associated Press.

"It’s extending the life of these coal plants," said Surbhi Sarang, director and senior attorney at the Environmental Defense Fund, referring to a separate analysis of federal support for coal facilities.

The developments come amid heightened public concern over issues such as the cost of living, immigration, climate change, artificial intelligence, and overseas conflicts, which are shaping voter priorities ahead of the midterms.