California Deploys Observers to Monitor DOJ Monitors

The U.S. Department of Justice will send federal election monitors to five California counties — Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Kern and Fresno — for the Nov. 4 special election on Proposition 50 to "ensure transparency, ballot security, and compliance with federal law." California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Gov. Gavin Newsom condemned the deployment as voter intimidation and said the state will deploy its own observers, potentially including the attorney general’s office, the Secretary of State and county registrars, to monitor DOJ teams and prevent unlawful interference. Bonta said the monitors were requested by the California Republican Party and warned the move could be used to intimidate voters and seed challenges to results and to preview tactics aimed at the 2026 midterms. The DOJ action follows a similar monitoring plan in New Jersey after a request from Passaic County Republicans, which drew pushback from New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin and local officials. State leaders say the timing and targets in deep-blue districts are politically charged and risk suppressing turnout or undermining confidence, while the DOJ says federal monitoring is routine in some circumstances.