DOJ Subpoenas L.A. Election Staff
Federal prosecutors served grand jury subpoenas on Los Angeles County registrar employees following a dispute over noncitizen ballots.
By Stella Brooks ·
The U.S. Department of Justice served grand jury subpoenas on employees at the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder-Deputy Clerk's office. The agency confirmed the service of these legal documents to employees during the week of Oct. 22, 2026. The subpoenas instruct the recipients to appear in court on Nov. 4. This action marks a sharp escalation in the federal government's review of California voter rolls.
The subpoenas target individuals within the Los Angeles office who manage election records. It is currently unclear if these specific staff members are the direct targets of a criminal investigation or are being called as witnesses. A Justice Department spokesperson did not reply to a request for comment regarding the subpoenas. The federal agency has recently pressured local election officials across California to cooperate with its demands to identify noncitizens.
In letters sent to local officials in recent weeks, the Justice Department warned that refusing to cooperate could result in federal scrutiny and legal liability. The correspondence stated that if persons knowingly tabulate ballots cast by individuals identified by federal agencies as noncitizens, they risk becoming aiders and abettors to a federal crime. The department has flagged approximately 20,000 names on California voter rolls as likely noncitizens. It has demanded that local officials set aside and stop processing ballots associated with these names.
U.S. District Judge David O. Carter rejected the Justice Department's request to enforce this ballot-setting policy. He ruled that the federal demand lacked a legal basis and that the court was not convinced the list of names was reliable. Carter expressed concern that the effort would disenfranchise eligible voters and create chaos during the election. The Justice Department is appealing his ruling to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
During a hearing on Oct. 27, Judge Carter told Justice Department officials that it would be wise for threats against state and county elected employees to cease immediately. He repeated this message in an order issued on Oct. 28, stating that these threats must stop. The subpoenas arrived one day after the judge issued this ruling.
Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder Dean Logan responded to the judge's comments in a statement on Oct. 29. He described the judge's admonishment about threats as well placed and appreciated. Logan stated that the Department of Justice has taken a confrontational approach at every step. He affirmed that election officials are acting in accordance with state and federal law.
Logan added that the office will take necessary steps to ensure the safety of its employees. He said the office remains focused on serving the voters of Los Angeles County so they can exercise their voting franchise.
