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

The Justice Department has pressed California officials to verify voters it alleges may be noncitizens and set aside their ballots, but state and county officials have disputed the reliability of its data and said complying with requests was legally or practically unworkable. A federal judge rejected the DOJ’s request to segregate disputed ballots and appointed a special master to examine evidence behind its claim that roughly 20,000 noncitizens are on California’s voter rolls. The administration is appealing the ruling, and federal subpoenas require Los Angeles County election employees to appear before a grand jury after the election. The dispute has raised concerns about election administration and disenfranchising eligible voters as officials and courts weigh the government’s evidence and the feasibility of its requests.