With the deadline for mailing out millions of California ballots approaching, Los Angeles County’s top election official, Dean Logan, welcomed the U.S. Postal Service’s assurance that it will process ballots normally, rather than under a new vetting system backed by President Trump, which the U.S. Supreme Court has rejected as unworkable. Logan stated, "That certainly serves as a stabilizing force, as we’re literally weeks away from mailing the ballots." However, he noted ongoing challenges from the Trump administration, including unsubstantiated claims of widespread voter fraud, potential deployments of armed federal agents to polling places, and federal grand jury subpoenas for voter registration information.
Logan confirmed that his office has received subpoenas demanding information on individuals the Trump administration suspects may not be U.S. citizens. He expressed concerns that the Department of Homeland Security may have relied on inaccurate or outdated information to compile these names. "We’re responding appropriately as directed through a subpoena, but that doesn’t afford the dialogue for us to get the background on what they’re looking for and how they came up with the names that they did," Logan said.
The subpoenas align with a broader effort by Homeland Security to investigate noncitizen voting, which Trump has claimed is widespread without evidence. In July, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin claimed there may be over 190,000 noncitizen voters on California's rolls. The Justice Department recently charged 16 noncitizens in six states with illegal voting and other election-related crimes.
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation aimed at enhancing election security in response to potential interference from the Trump administration. California Secretary of State Shirley Weber dismissed Mullin’s claims, stating that voter fraud is exceedingly rare among the state’s 23 million registered voters.
The Trump administration has taken several actions, including issuing executive orders requiring additional voter identification and allowing the Postal Service to refuse mail ballots deemed illegitimate. Despite these efforts, California officials and independent experts maintain that the election will be safe, as many of Trump's initiatives have been blocked by the courts.
Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) stated, "The bottom line for voters in California right now is nothing has changed. We’ve had safe and secure elections, and we will continue to do so." Logan noted that the Trump administration is pursuing a narrative of widespread voter fraud, but assured that the election process in California will remain fair and transparent.
At least three subpoenas have been issued to Logan’s office since March. U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon did not respond to requests for comment regarding the subpoenas. In response to Newsom's new state laws, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli stated that no state law can prevent federal investigations into voter fraud.
Mullin's claims regarding noncitizen voters have been met with skepticism from election officials, who argue that the data used to support these allegations is unreliable. A spokesperson for Homeland Security stated that the agency's efforts are part of standard law enforcement practices to investigate election fraud.
Polling indicates that fewer than half of Americans believe the midterms will be free and fair, with Californians expressing more concern about potential interference than voter fraud. Election experts have noted that while some threats have been mitigated, there are still concerns about federal agents intimidating voters or interfering in close races.
Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) emphasized that the Trump administration's actions are an attempt to undermine the election process, while Padilla criticized the administration for placing individuals with conspiracy theories in charge of election oversight. He urged voters to remain vigilant and assured them that many are working to protect their right to vote.