California Lawmakers Defend State's Election System, Denounce DOJ Monitoring

California's robust election system and commitment to transparency and security were defended by 41 Democratic lawmakers from the state, who wrote a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, denouncing the Department of Justice's decision to send federal election monitors to polling sites in five California counties ahead of the November 4, 2025, general election. The letter emphasizes that California's election administration represents the gold standard for the nation and that any federal interference in the state's election process is unacceptable. The lawmakers also highlighted the state's efforts to protect eligible voters, including naturalized U.S. citizens, from voter suppression tactics.

Key Takeaways:

• 41 California Democratic lawmakers signed a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, denouncing the Department of Justice's decision to monitor polling sites in five California counties.
• California's election administration is considered the "gold standard" for the nation, with a highly transparent and secure process that includes voter-verifiable paper audit trails and open, audited processes to ensure the integrity of every vote.
• The state has a robust election system, with voters able to return ballots by mail or in person, and voting machines that are carefully tested and validated, including source code review, hardware and software security review, and penetration testing.
• The Department of Justice's focus on "voter fraud" among undocumented immigrants is unwarranted, as allegations of such incidents are exceedingly rare across the country.
• Federal monitoring of elections is not new, but the Department's approach is considered unacceptable, as it undermines elections and seeks to obtain sensitive personal information of voters.
• The lawmakers urge the Department of Justice to refrain from further engaging in conduct that seeks to lower voter participation, intimidate voters, or undermine voters' trust in the outcome.

Statistics:

• 16.1 million Californians voted in the last statewide election in November 2024, representing 71% of registered voters.
• The state's election administration is the largest in the United States, with over 40 million eligible voters.
• The Department of Justice has taken steps to undermine elections in at least 40 states, including California, by seeking to obtain sensitive personal information of voters.

Sources:

• Letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, signed by 41 California Democratic lawmakers (no date provided).
• Text of the letter, released by the office of California Rep. Kevin Mullin.