Judge Weighs Special Master to Review 20,000 Noncitizen Voter Claims

A federal judge is moving toward appointing an independent special master to examine the Trump administration’s claim that about 20,000 noncitizens are registered to vote in California and assess whether any ballots could be separated before the state certifies its election results. Judge David O. Carter said the evidence requires independent review and warned that acting hastily could disenfranchise eligible voters or improperly change election procedures while voting is underway. The Justice Department has sued to stop California from counting ballots cast by people on its list, while California officials dispute the government’s approach and say separating ballots may not be feasible. The dispute has also prompted federal officials to demand citizenship checks from county election offices and warn of possible criminal consequences for knowingly counting ballots cast by noncitizens; available data indicate noncitizen voting is rare.