The Justice Department has put California election officials on notice, demanding a rapid review of a federal list of individuals suspected of being noncitizens who received mail-in ballots ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. The department warned that failure to comply with its request could trigger emergency legal action, escalating an already contentious battle over election administration and voter eligibility.
The dispute centers on whether California officials will examine the federal government’s findings and temporarily set aside ballots belonging to individuals whose citizenship cannot be independently verified. State officials, however, are challenging the legitimacy of the information and questioning the administration’s authority to impose such a short deadline.
According to letters sent Tuesday by Acting Deputy Attorney General R. Trent McCotter, the Justice Department provided California Secretary of State Shirley Weber and Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan with information identifying individuals federal authorities believe may be ineligible to vote.
The information was delivered on a password-protected USB drive. Federal officials reportedly believe the individuals listed on the device received vote-by-mail ballots for the upcoming election.
