Justice Department Threatens California With Legal Action Over Voter-Roll Claims

Richmond Petersburg, VA, October 14, 2026 —

The U.S. Justice Department has threatened California with legal action over claims that noncitizens are listed on voter rolls and may have received mail ballots for upcoming elections. The information available does not establish whether any noncitizens are on the rolls or received ballots; it describes the matter as a set of claims.

Details about the threatened action were not provided. The available information does not identify the legal basis cited by the department, the steps it may seek from California, or when it issued the threat. It also does not say which voter rolls or elections are involved, how many people may be affected, or what evidence supports the claims.

California’s response was not provided, and no outcome or subsequent action was specified. The information also does not clarify whether ballots were merely sent, received, or returned, or whether any vote was cast. Those distinctions remain unreported and should not be inferred from the claim that some people may have received mail ballots.

The dispute, as described, centers on allegations about voter registration records and ballot distribution, alongside the Justice Department’s threat of legal action. Without further details, the scope of the allegations, the department’s intended course, and the state’s position remain unclear.

Story summarized from the original created by SAFIYAH RIDDLE and ERIC TUCKER, Associated Press on www.wric.com, see more information here.

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