US Justice Department demands California sequester noncitizen ballots

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 25 Oct, 00:32 · Archive

The US Justice Department has demanded that California election officials sequester ballots believed sent to noncitizen voters before the midterm elections.

The US Justice Department has demanded that California county registrars sequester ballots it believes were sent to noncitizen voters ahead of midterm elections. The letters were sent on Friday and requested sensitive information including Social Security numbers on roughly 20,000 voters, with a 48-hour deadline for response. The federal government warned that legal action could be taken against any official who knowingly counted a noncitizen's vote.

Local election officials expressed frustration and confusion over the demands. John Tuteur, registrar of voters for Napa County, said the demand was 'simply meant to raise huge doubts about the integrity of this election'. Officials said they had already begun counting ballots from California's 23 million registered voters and would not change their procedures.

The Trump administration has characterised noncitizen voting as a major nationwide problem. However, the administration's own investigations have shown it to be quite rare. The California attorney general's office challenged the accuracy of the federal lists, noting that Mendocino County officials received names of people who were not residents of that county.

How it is being reported

• California election officials frustrated, rattled by DOJ demand to sequester 'noncitizen' ballotsLocal election officials in California are frustrated after receiving a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice.News4Jax · 25 Oct, 00:06
• California election officials frustrated, rattled by DOJ demand to sequester 'noncitizen' ballotsLocal election officials in California are frustrated after receiving a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice.Clickorlando · 25 Oct, 00:06

In this story: Donald Trump · John Tuteur · US Department of Justice · California · Napa County · Mendocino County

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem