DOJ Demands California Set Aside Ballots

The Justice Department sent demand letters to California county election officials giving them 48 hours to help verify voters on federal lists. The letters told counties to set aside, not cancel, mail ballots when a voter’s citizenship could not be confirmed. The move escalates a federal lawsuit seeking to block California from counting ballots tied to more than 20,000 registered voters whom federal agencies consider likely noncitizens. Noncitizens cannot vote in federal elections, though available reviews show such voting is rare. DOJ says segregation is needed before ballots are mixed into the count. California and county officials say the list is unverified. The Ninth CircuitCourt of Appeals for the Ninth Circuitfederal appellate court for the western U.S. set responses for Saturday and argument for Sunday.