Democracy Docket Reports Judge Kollar-Kotelly Rejected DOJ's Bid to Delay Its Answer in the DNC FOIA Suit Over Plans to Seize Ballots

Democracy Docket reported on September 23, 2026 that, in August, Democrats sued the Trump administration for any records detailing plans to seize ballots, voting machines or other election materials during the 2026 midterms, and that the department told a federal judge it needed over a month more, until just a week before Election Day, to answer. The DNC’s attorneys said in a recent motion opposing the request that the Department of Justice cannot nullify the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) through persistent delay.

According to the outlet, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly rejected the DOJ’s request Monday and required it to respond by next Monday. She said she could not move the deadline to Oct. 28, as DOJ’s attorneys asked, “given the potential risk for prejudice” to the DNC.

The same report says that in a separate suit the judge promptly denied a similar request “given the time sensitive nature of the claims raised and the need for an expedited review.” The contents of any ballot-seizure plans are not stated; the suit seeks records that have not been disclosed.

The other polling-place FOIA suit in the record is at 2026-10-02–dnc-wont-challenge-polling-place-foia-searches-dhs-withholds-12-page-record.