DOJ and California clash over voter‑roll audit request

The U.S. Department of Justice is pressing California for an unredacted copy of the state's voter‑registration database, arguing that the records are needed to verify the integrity of voter rolls. California officials, including Secretary of State Shirley Weber, have offered a redacted, appointment‑only inspection but have refused the DOJ's demand for a full electronic file covering nearly 23 million voters.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli questioned the state's stance on X, asking, “What are they afraid of?” The DOJ’s request follows a prior lawsuit dismissed by a federal judge in January, who said the department was seeking an “unprecedented amount of personal information” and that the demand conflicted with constitutional separation of powers. The dispute is now pending before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.