According to Essayli, the Justice Department is investigating multiple election-related issues in California while also examining concerns about the state’s voter registration system.
“Federal law gives the Attorney General the authority to review state voter files and confirm that only eligible U.S. citizens are voting in federal elections,” he added. The dispute comes at a time when California remains in the middle of counting hundreds of thousands of outstanding ballots from its June primary election.
California’s ballot-counting process has long been a source of frustration for voters across the political spectrum. Unlike many states that report near-final results within hours of polls closing, California routinely spends days or even weeks processing mail ballots, provisional ballots, and late-arriving vote-by-mail ballots that were postmarked by Election Day.
“For over a year, the Department of Justice has been trying to audit California’s voter rolls,” Essayli said
One issue drawing particular attention involves California’s voter identification requirements for certain first-time voters.
Essayli highlighted several forms of identification that can be used during the voter registration process, noting that many Americans would likely be surprised by what qualifies.
“California allows first-time voters to register using forms of ID that most Americans would find surprising,” Essayli said.
As election officials continue counting votes, they have once again moved concerns about election administration to the forefront
The inclusion of insurance cards has generated additional scrutiny because California provides state-funded health coverage programs that are available to certain illegal immigrants.
🚨 HOLY CRAP!! FA US Attorney Bill Essayli reveals not only is California BLOCKING a federal audit of the state's voter rolls…
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) June 7, 2026
…but people can vote with GYM MEMBERSHIP CARDS as proof of ID, along with insurance cards that can be given to illegal aliens
This HAS TO BE… pic.twitter.com/cNEKQUkaTg
Republicans have increasingly focused on citizenship verification measures, including the SAVE America Act, which would require documentary proof of citizenship for federal voter registration nationwide.
Supporters argue that such measures are necessary to ensure that only eligible citizens participate in federal elections.
Among the accepted forms of identification are gym membership cards, employer identification cards, credit or debit cards, prescription drug labels, and insurance cards
At the same time, the Justice Department’s growing interest in California’s election administration suggests federal scrutiny is unlikely to fade anytime soon.
The issue gained additional attention after a federal prosecutor visited Los Angeles County’s ballot processing center during the ongoing vote count.
Meanwhile, Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton has called for significant election reforms, including requiring ballots to be received by Election Day and ending California’s current seven-day grace period for mailed ballots.
California officials have consistently defended the state’s election system, arguing that extensive safeguards already exist and that there is no evidence of widespread non-citizen voting affecting election outcomes
Hilton has also criticized the state’s lengthy vote-counting process, arguing that voters deserve faster and more transparent election results.
Election officials maintain that California’s slower counting process is the result of verification procedures designed to ensure every eligible ballot is properly reviewed before certification.
Still, critics argue that prolonged counting periods create unnecessary uncertainty and weaken public confidence in election outcomes.
