The U.S. Department of Justice has taken legal action against Orange County’s top elections official, Bob Page, over concerns about the handling of voter registration records. The lawsuit, filed recently in federal court, claims that Page has not provided necessary information about individuals removed from voter rolls due to their non-citizen status.
This lawsuit comes after a June 2 letter from the Justice Department requesting detailed data on non-citizen voters. The complaint arose after a relative of a non-citizen received a mail ballot, raising questions about the integrity of the voter registration process in the county. Over a five-year period, Orange County identified 17 non-citizens who had registered to vote. Page indicated that these individuals either reported their ineligibility themselves or were flagged by the district attorney’s office.
While the county did share some information with federal authorities, it redacted sensitive details like Social Security numbers and driver’s license information. The lawsuit argues that withholding this data violates federal election laws, which require full transparency in voter information. Harmeet Dhillon, an assistant attorney general, emphasized that voting by non-citizens is illegal and that states must comply with federal requests for information.
County officials defend their actions, stating that they are balancing federal requirements with state laws that protect personal information. They have offered to create a confidentiality agreement to limit how the Justice Department uses the data, but this proposal was not accepted, leading to the lawsuit.
Legal experts have described the situation as unusual, noting that it is common for governmental agencies to negotiate over information sharing without resorting to litigation. Critics of the Justice Department’s approach wonder why it needs sensitive personal data to verify the voter registration process when names and other non-sensitive information might suffice.
The lawsuit adds to the ongoing debate about voter registration practices and the measures in place to prevent ineligible individuals from voting. In California, voters must verify their identities when registering, and there are penalties for fraudulent registrations.
The case highlights the tension between federal oversight and state privacy laws, with both sides seeking to ensure that eligible voters can participate in elections while safeguarding personal information. As the legal proceedings unfold, the outcome may have implications for how voter registration is managed not just in Orange County but potentially across the state.