After a week of protests in Los Angeles against federal immigration enforcement actions, President Trump reiterated his administration’s stance on undocumented immigrants, claiming they play a significant role in elections in Democratic cities. In a recent post on Truth Social, he alleged that cities like Los Angeles manipulate voter rolls by including undocumented individuals, suggesting that this practice helps Democrats gain power and exploit welfare systems.
However, Los Angeles County election officials quickly refuted these claims. They stated that Trump’s assertions are unfounded and only serve to spread confusion about the electoral process. Mike Sanchez, a spokesperson for the county’s Registrar-Recorder’s office, emphasized that the county has robust measures to ensure that only eligible voters can cast ballots and that all votes are accurately counted.
To register to vote in California, individuals must meet five criteria: they must be U.S. citizens, residents of California, at least 18 years old by Election Day, not currently imprisoned for a felony, and not declared mentally incompetent to vote by a court. When registering, they must also affirm that they meet these requirements under penalty of perjury.
Sanchez highlighted that voting as a noncitizen is a serious offense, potentially leading to jail time or deportation. While some cities in the U.S. allow noncitizens to vote in local elections, such as school board races, California only permits this in San Francisco for school board elections.
In Los Angeles County, the verification process for registered voters includes cross-checking personal information with the State Voter Registration database, which is linked to records from the Department of Motor Vehicles and Social Security. Voters do not need to show ID if their information is verified. If there are discrepancies, they must provide identification the first time they vote.
Election officials conduct regular maintenance of voter rolls, checking against various data sources to ensure accuracy. For mail-in ballots, signatures on returned envelopes are matched with those on file. If there are any issues, voters are contacted to resolve them.
The idea that undocumented immigrants vote in large numbers has circulated for years, often fueled by conspiracy theories. A recent poll indicated that one in three Americans believes there is a deliberate effort to replace U.S.-born citizens with immigrants for electoral gain. This narrative gained traction during Trump’s presidency, particularly after he lost the popular vote in 2016, when he claimed that millions of undocumented immigrants had voted.
Experts have consistently found that voter fraud is extremely rare in the U.S. The Brennan Center for Justice notes that most reported fraud cases stem from clerical errors, not intentional wrongdoing. Richard Hasen, a voting rights expert, pointed out that claims of widespread fraud often arise from those who lose elections, and Trump’s rhetoric has amplified these beliefs.
As the situation continues to unfold, the Los Angeles community remains watchful, with many residents concerned about the implications of federal immigration policies on local elections and the broader social fabric.