LOS ANGELES – Recent developments regarding voter registration and mail-in ballots in California have sparked significant attention and concern. The U.S. Justice Department has issued a warning to the state, threatening potential legal action related to claims that noncitizens may have been erroneously sent mail ballots for the upcoming midterm elections.
In a letter dated Tuesday, Trent McCotter, the acting deputy attorney general, detailed the government’s position and provided the California Secretary of State, Shirley Weber, with a password-protected thumb drive. This drive contains a list of individuals the federal government believes are likely noncitizens who received ballots to participate in the November elections.
The letter mandates a swift response from California officials, allowing just 48 hours to ascertain whether any U.S. citizens are included on the list. Moreover, it instructs local election officials to segregate mail-in ballots associated with individuals whose citizenship status cannot be independently verified. The government has made it clear that failure to comply with these directives may result in legal repercussions.
“If you cannot implement this process by then, given the ongoing federal election, the United States will have no choice but to seek emergency relief,” the letter warns, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
A similar notice was sent to the registrar’s office in Los Angeles County, emphasizing the federal government’s stance on this matter. As of now, neither the California Secretary of State nor the Los Angeles County Registrar has publicly commented on the situation.
This issue of noncitizen voting has been a focal point for the Trump administration in recent months, despite evidence suggesting that such occurrences are exceedingly rare. In 2023 alone, the Justice Department has charged roughly 90 individuals for various types of election misconduct, including allegations that 50 of them voted as noncitizens. Considering the context, this number is minimal when juxtaposed against the approximately 227 million registered voters in the U.S. during the 2024 presidential election.
In July, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin had previously sent letters to several states, including California, alleging that up to 250,000 noncitizens were registered to vote. However, election officials, particularly Weber, expressed skepticism regarding the validity of these claims. “I have serious doubts about the reliability of your data and accuracy of your claims, since my office has not shared our statewide voter registration list with DHS or any other federal agency or official,” Weber stated in response, underscoring the need for verified data in matters of electoral integrity.
As the midterm elections approach, the situation remains fluid, with significant implications for electoral integrity and voter rights in California. The outcome of this confrontation between state and federal authorities could set important precedents for how voter registration and mail-in voting are managed across the United States.
