DOJ demands that some California counties set aside and verify alleged noncitizen ballots within 48 hours
October 23, 2026 / 10:54 PM EDT / CBS/AP
TL;DR
- Federal prosecutors sent letters to at least 18 California county registrars demanding they verify and set aside ballots suspected of belonging to noncitizens.
- The Justice Department has given counties a 48-hour deadline to provide identifying information for suspected noncitizen voters.
- This escalation is part of a legal battle between California and the Trump administration over voter rolls ahead of the midterm elections.
- California officials oppose the federal demands, citing unreliable data, potential delays in vote certification, and the risk of disenfranchising citizens.
- Earlier in the week, 28 individuals were charged with illegally registering to vote as part of a broader federal sweep.
- The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division has a history of attempting to obtain voter roll data from states, with limited success so far.
- Democratic Senator Alex Padilla accused the Trump administration of interfering in California elections without providing evidence of widespread voter fraud.