California ballot dispute: the Justice Department warns officials they risk prosecution

“If persons knowingly tabulate ballots cast by individuals identified by federal agencies as noncitizens, they risk becoming aiders and abettors to a federal crime,” Trent McCotter, the acting deputy attorney general, wrote on Friday.

— Trent McCotter, acting deputy attorney general

The letter went to the Los Angeles County Counsel’s office, with copies to Secretary of State Shirley Weber and the county registrar. It came a day after the department sued the state over a list of 20,000 names it says are likely noncitizens sent ballots.

Weber says the administration has given no evidence for the claim. In July, the federal government said Nevada had 1,500 noncitizen voters, but the number of registered noncitizens turned out to be zero.

United States, midterm elections

More than 23 million people are registered to vote in California, where ballots are mailed to all registered voters. A handful of competitive races there could decide control of the US House in the Nov 3 midterms.