Lawmakers tour Riverside ballot center as DOJ scrutiny escalates

Riverside County officials and Reps. Raul Ruiz, Norma Torres and Mark Takano toured the county’s ballot-processing center ahead of the Nov. 3 election, observing how ballots are verified and processed under chain-of-custody safeguards. At a news conference, they emphasized election transparency, security, public observation and voter access, and encouraged residents to make a plan to vote. Local officials said the county had added equipment and temporary workers and offered public tours to build confidence in the process. Takano criticized what he characterized as an attempted federal takeover under President Donald Trump, while Torres stressed the importance of congressional oversight. The visit took place as the Justice Department’s scrutiny of election offices escalated: officials in Los Angeles and Orange counties received subpoenas, but Riverside County said it had not received one.