Local Politics · Los Angeles, CA
Federal Judge to Rule by Wednesday on DOJ Request to Block 20,000 California Ballots
U.S. District Judge David O. Carter heard arguments Tuesday afternoon in downtown Los Angeles in a case where the Justice Department seeks to set aside ballots of approximately 20,000 alleged noncitizen voters in California. The DOJ sued Secretary of State Shirley Weber and L.A. County Registrar Dean Logan, requesting an emergency order to halt processing of suspect ballots until citizenship is verified. State attorneys argued the federal list was unreliable—shrinking from a claimed 190,000 to 20,000—and that segregating ballots would disenfranchise voters. Carter indicated he would rule by Wednesday and suggested another hearing in roughly two weeks after the general election, noting Dec. 3 as California's certification deadline. The DOJ also sent letters to election officials in Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties requesting verification of citizenship status for additional individuals.