Justice Dept. List Shows Over 40% of Flagged Voters Missing from California Rolls

More than 40% of the names the Justice Department flagged as possible non‑citizen voters in California are not on the state’s voter rolls, a new analysis shows.

What Happened

Two UCLA data scientists examined the 20,930 names the DOJ demanded California election officials treat as illegal voters on Election Day. Their review found 8,880 names, or 42%, have no match in the current California voter file. The same analysis also identified at least 22 U.S. citizens on the list and suggested thousands more may be confirmed citizens.

Reaction

The findings were filed by the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) and co‑signed by Xavier Becerra, the Democratic candidate for governor and adviser to the UCLA Voting Rights Project. Local and state officials called the list riddled with errors, and multiple judges have already rejected the DOJ’s demand as unconstitutional and a threat to democracy. The Trump administration, which compiled the list, objected to its release, calling it a “fishing expedition” and noting it contained sensitive information.

Context

The DOJ list was used to separate ballots during counting, a step that could delay results and intimidate voters. Errors in the list raise concerns about how federal agencies target election officials and the potential impact on voting rights.