Justice Department Orders California Officials to Set Aside Noncitizen Ballots
The U.S. Justice Department has ordered California election officials to identify noncitizens on voter rolls and set aside their mail-in ballots. The department warned that officials who knowingly count ballots cast by noncitizens could face criminal liability, intensifying scrutiny of…
Butte Bozeman, MT, October 25, 2026 —
The U.S. Justice Department has ordered California election officials to identify noncitizens on voter rolls and set aside their mail-in ballots, according to the information provided about the directive.
The department also warned that officials who knowingly count ballots cast by noncitizens could face criminal liability. The warning raises the stakes for election officials as voter rolls face increased scrutiny ahead of midterm elections.
The information provided does not identify the officials or offices that received the order, when it was issued, or how election officials are expected to identify noncitizens. It also does not specify whether any ballots have been set aside or whether officials have responded to the directive.
No details were provided about the number of voters or ballots potentially affected, the legal basis cited for the order, or the process for reviewing a person’s eligibility. The summary also does not describe any specific cases in which a noncitizen ballot was knowingly counted.
The department’s warning is conditional: it concerns officials who knowingly count ballots cast by noncitizens. The information provided does not state that any California official has done so or that anyone has been charged with an offense.
Further details about the directive’s scope, implementation and any response from California election officials were not included in the information available for this report.
Story summarized from the original created by Karina Tsui, Maria Aguilar Prieto, Isa Mudannayake on www.kxlf.com, see more information here.
