Justice Department Sues California Secretary of State Over Voter Roll Compliance
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, claiming she has failed to provide the state’s voter registration rolls. This, they allege, obstructs federal officials from ensuring that state elections comply with federal regulations and safeguards against electoral fraud.
Additionally, similar lawsuits were filed against election officials in Michigan, Minnesota, New York, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania.
Atty. General Pam Bondi emphasized in a statement that “clean voter rolls are essential for free and fair elections.” She added that every state has a duty to maintain accurate and secure voter registration records, declaring that the Justice Department will pursue legal action against states that do not meet these responsibilities.
The lawsuit argues that the Justice Department is obligated to ensure that California has appropriate processes for registering voters and maintaining accurate rolls in line with the National Voter Registration Act.
“This forced action is a direct attempt to seek legal recourse due to the defendants’ failure to meet federal legal standards,” the complaint states.
Weber’s response to the lawsuit characterizes it as “a tool for partisan goals” and a “severe overreach,” suggesting that it undermines established legal precedents. She argued that the Department of Justice’s actions are an attempt to coerce California officials into disclosing sensitive information about 23 million voters.
Weber pointed out that California law mandates the protection of voter confidentiality, asserting that the Justice Department did not present adequate legal grounds for its invasive requests. Moreover, she noted that the federal agency ignored a proposal to meet in Sacramento for an in-person review of relevant data.
The Justice Department seeks a “current electronic copy of the statewide voter registration list,” along with duplicate registration records from several counties, records of deceased voters, and explanations for a recent decrease in inactive voter registrations.
This lawsuit represents the latest effort to impose the Trump administration’s voting policy preferences on individual states, despite each state maintaining constitutional authority over its elections.
The legal move aims to reshape national voting standards, following a Trump executive order that includes mandates for voter citizenship proof and restrictions on mail-in ballots not received by Election Day.
This order stems from Trump’s unsubstantiated claims regarding voter fraud, particularly surrounding the 2020 election, which experts have largely disputed.
Voting rights groups, along with California and 19 other states, are actively challenging this order, arguing that it particularly hinders U.S. citizens lacking easy access to identification, and it could disenfranchise voters by prohibiting accepted mail-in ballots after Election Day—especially harming those in populous states like California.
As it stands, California permits votes to be counted if they are collected by Election Day and arrive within a specified timeframe afterward.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has criticized Trump’s executive order as an “illegal power grab,” urging the state to vigorously resist such federal overreach.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s office has not commented on the lawsuits.
Hermet K. Dillon, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, defended the necessity of litigation, asserting that clean voter rolls uphold citizens’ rights and ensure electoral integrity.
In response to the lawsuit, Weber reiterated her stance against what she deems an illegal tactic to undermine public trust in elections, declaring, “Californians deserve better. America deserves better.” She is determined to resist the lawsuit, emphasizing protection for voter privacy and rights amid federal encroachment.
