Justice Department Orders California Counties to Review Voter Rolls
The Justice Department has ordered California county election officials to identify suspected noncitizens on voter rolls and set aside their mail-in ballots, warning of potential criminal liability for knowingly counting them.
Tucson, AZ, October 25, 2026 —
The Justice Department has ordered California county election officials to identify suspected noncitizens on voter rolls and set aside their mail-in ballots. The department also warned that officials could face potential criminal liability for knowingly counting those ballots.
The order concerns people described as suspected noncitizens; the information provided does not specify how officials are to determine who falls into that category or what process they must use to review voter records. It also does not say how many counties or voters may be affected, or whether any ballots have been set aside.
The department’s warning is framed around knowingly counting ballots cast by suspected noncitizens. The summary of the order does not provide further details about the potential criminal liability, including which statutes may apply or how the warning would be enforced.
Details about the timing and implementation of the order were not provided. The available information also does not identify a deadline for county officials, describe any response from California election authorities, or say whether the order has been challenged.
As a result, the scope and practical effects of the directive remain unclear based on the information available. The stated requirements are that county election officials identify suspected noncitizens on voter rolls and set aside their mail-in ballots; the department’s warning concerns knowingly counting those ballots. Further details about the criteria, procedures and county-level actions were not included in the summary.
Story summarized from the original created by Karina Tsui, Maria Aguilar Prieto, Isa Mudannayake on www.kgun9.com, see more information here.
