Local Politics · Los Angeles, CA
Federal Judge to Rule Wednesday on DOJ Bid to Block 20,000 California Ballots
U.S. District Judge David O. Carter heard arguments Tuesday in downtown Los Angeles in a case where the Justice Department seeks to temporarily set aside ballots of approximately 20,000 alleged noncitizen voters on California's rolls. The DOJ named California Secretary of State Shirley Weber and L.A. County Registrar Dean Logan as defendants, requesting an emergency temporary restraining order one week before Election Day. Carter indicated he would rule by Wednesday and suggested a follow-up hearing with expert witnesses about two weeks after the election, noting Dec. 3 is California's deadline to certify results. The DOJ also sent letters to county officials in L.A., Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties asking them to set aside specific mail ballots or verify citizenship status of listed individuals. State attorneys argued the federal government used unreliable data and that segregating ballots would disenfranchise voters.