DOJ demands that some California counties set aside alleged noncitizen ballots

Federal prosecutors in California have told county election officials to hold back and check ballots that the Justice Department suspects were cast by noncitizens, CBS News · MS NOW and MS NOW report. The demand deepens a fight between the state and the Trump administration over noncitizen voting before the midterms, though illegal voting by noncitizens is described as extremely rare and has not been shown to change election results.

Letters went out Friday, and the Los Angeles County registrar says at least 18 counties received them. Each has 48 hours to supply identifying details for the ballots and to sequester any whose citizenship can't be confirmed. San Bernardino County's letter lists 1,133 suspected voters. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli warned that officials who knowingly process such a ballot face "legal jeopardy."

California's secretary of state and the Los Angeles County registrar object; state lawyers argue the demand could delay certification and that the federal data is unreliable. CBS News · MS NOW adds that the Justice Department has filed 31 voter-roll lawsuits and lost 26 of them, with no wins so far. A hearing is set for Tuesday.

Summarized by PolitiKool from CBS News · MS NOW and MS NOW’s reporting. Read the full story at CBS News · MS NOW → Also at MS NOW →