Federal prosecutor announces investigations into California’s voting system Friday

Federal prosecutor Bill Essayli, First Assistant for the Central District of California, announced Friday that his office is pursuing multiple election fraud investigations in coordination with the FBI’s Los Angeles field office. The investigations aim to follow evidence wherever it leads and prosecute violations of federal election law, with protecting California’s election integrity cited as a top priority. The Justice Department has also been conducting a comprehensive audit of California’s voter rolls, working with Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon. This follows a broader DOJ effort last year to obtain private voter data from over 40 states and Washington D.C., including nearly 23 million Californians’ names, Social Security numbers, addresses, and voting history. However, a federal judge dismissed the DOJ’s request in January, calling it ‘unprecedented and illegal.’ California’s election system, which relies on universal vote-by-mail with no voter ID requirements, has faced criticism for potential vulnerabilities. A DOJ attorney observed ballot processing in Los Angeles County on Friday, though county elections officials in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura have not yet responded to requests for comment. State law requires California’s 58 county elections officials to report final primary election results to the Secretary of State’s Office by July 3, 2026. Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber, who is running for reelection, has stated her office will certify the results. The investigations come amid ongoing debates over election security and the role of federal oversight in state-run elections.