Table of Contents
Why Does LA County Admit It Cannot Verify Voter Citizenship?
The answer is simple: California law relies solely on self-attestation, and LA County has no independent tools or authority to check citizenship status.
In federal court filings, Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk officials stated that the county has no authority under state or federal law to withhold or set aside ballots based on a third party's assertion that a voter may not be a citizen. They have no information beyond the voter's own attestation and no lawful means of obtaining citizenship data. California has not authorized use of the federal SAVE program for the 2026 election, leaving LA County without direct access to federal citizenship records.
DOJ Push to Set Aside Ballots
The county's declaration opposes a Department of Justice push to set aside over 20,000 ballots for people flagged as likely non-citizens. Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter sent demand letters giving officials 48 hours to review a list provided on a thumb drive and segregate ballots until citizenship could be verified. When California and LA County refused, the DOJ sued to block counting of those ballots until verification.
Federal Charges Against Green Card Holders
Federal prosecutors charged 28 green card holders with voter fraud, arresting 11, while one claimed his identity was misused to vote illegally. All were lawful permanent residents ineligible to vote. These charges are part of Operation Protect the Vote, and the individuals appear on the DOJ list of suspected non-citizens.
Sample Review Findings and Self-Attestation Risks
LA County reviewed a sample of 200 records and found many inactive or canceled, with some listing U.S. birthplaces as a strong indicator of citizenship. Critics argue self-attestation leaves the system open to abuse amid past non-citizen registrations via DMV under Motor Voter laws. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli highlighted that election officials simply take the voter's word for it.
Strategic Implications for Election Integrity
This admission underscores the strategic need for stronger verification to protect the integrity of federal elections. Only U.S. citizens may vote in federal contests under law, and diluting citizen votes through un-verified registrations undermines America First principles.
President Trump's administration has prioritized election integrity through DOJ actions to ensure compliance with federal law. The policy implications are clear: without independent verification tools, systems reliant on honor codes remain vulnerable in high-volume mail ballot states like California. Ensuring only citizens vote preserves sovereignty of the American people.
Further court proceedings will determine whether ballots must be set aside pending verification. The facts from official filings show the position rests on existing attestation rules, while federal authorities seek to prevent potential ineligible votes from counting.
Read More: Wisconsin Blocks Using Federal SAVE Voter Citizenship Tool – Morse Report
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FAQs
Why Does LA County Admit It Cannot Verify Voter Citizenship?
The answer is simple: California law relies solely on self-attestation, and LA County has no independent tools or authority to check citizenship status.
In federal court filings, Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk officials stated that the county has no authority under state or federal law to withhold or set aside ballots based on a third party's assertion that a voter may not be a citizen. They have no information beyond the voter's own attestation and no lawful means of obtaining citizenship data. California has not authorized use of the federal SAVE program for the 2026 election, leaving LA County without direct access to federal citizenship records.
