California sues to halt 48-hour federal deadline for verifying 20,000 ballots

California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a federal lawsuit on Saturday to block a Department of Justice demand that election officials verify roughly 20,000 ballots within 48 hours. The state argues the tight deadline, issued less than two weeks before the midterm elections, creates an undue burden on local election staff and risks stripping eligible citizens of their right to vote.

Bonta accused the federal government of acting on the direct instruction of President Donald Trump. In an interview with MS Now, he described the move as the Justice Department "politicizing and weaponizing the law to attack its enemies." He called the action "completely improper," noting that the department has increased prosecutions of alleged noncitizen voters as the election nears.

The dispute centers on a list of voters sent to county election officials. Los Angeles officials stated that a "high percentage" of the individuals on the list were born in the United States. Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the process on social media, claiming the department sent lists of people who never voted or voted in the wrong county. He labeled the effort an "Absolute clown show!" aimed at inventing widespread voter fraud.

The Justice Department framed its request as a measure to secure the election. In a statement, officials said they were asking counties to provide information to the Department of Homeland Security to quickly verify citizenship status. "With their help, we can ensure the most secure election in California history," the department wrote. This action is part of a wider national effort by Republicans to crack down on alleged voter fraud, particularly among undocumented immigrants.

Bonta has questioned the evidence provided with the list. He stated that officials received only names without an explanation of why those individuals were deemed ineligible. "If they have such information, we would be happy to review it, but they've provided none," he said during a press conference. The state contends that the lack of detail makes the 48-hour verification window impossible to complete accurately.

The legal battle intensified after state officials delayed action on letters sent Friday, citing the proximity of the election. This inaction triggered the current legal fight. An appeals court is scheduled to hear the matter on Tuesday. The outcome will determine whether counties must meet the federal deadline or can use a longer period to audit the records.

The Justice Department recently charged 28 foreign nationals with fraudulently registering to vote. Bill Essayli, first assistant US attorney, said the arrests proved that California was mailing ballots to noncitizens. He noted that the defendants are lawful permanent residents who hold legal status in the US but are not citizens eligible to vote. Essayli argued that noncompliance with federal law makes noncitizen voting a crime.