Justice Department’s California Ballot Warning Seen as Intimidation
The Justice Department sent a letter to California’s secretary of state and Los Angeles County officials warning of criminal penalties tied to their handling of mail ballots. The move came after DOJ filed a lawsuit claiming California and Los Angeles were sending ballots to likely noncitizens and counting them in violation of federal law. The article argues the timing and legal weaknesses show the threat is meant to intimidate election administrators rather than reflect a valid prosecution risk.
The Justice Department’s warning arrived 17 days before voters went to the polls and more than a fortnight after Los Angeles County started mailing ballots. It followed a civil suit alleging that state and county practices violated a federal ban on voting by noncitizens. Neither filing carried a career prosecutor’s signature.
Earlier, after DHS claimed California’s rolls contained 190,000 noncitizens, the secretary of state sought the agency’s methods and sources. DHS refused to provide written details. Nevada received an oral briefing, but a recording raised doubts about reliability. On Oct. 13, DOJ gave LA County a USB drive listing over 20,000 people it believed were probably noncitizens registered statewide.
The dispute may increase pressure on California election administrators, who could hesitate over routine mail-ballot tasks. Voters, particularly naturalized citizens or anyone mistakenly flagged, may face added confusion or verification burdens. Because the warning lands close to Election Day, it could slow local processing or discourage some officials. It may also deepen public distrust if legal claims are perceived as political, though courts and election offices could later clarify the standards.