Justice Department Sues Orange County Over Non-Citizen Voter Records

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Orange County Registrar of Voters Robert Page, accusing him of violating federal voting laws by refusing to provide unredacted records related to the removal of non-citizens from voter rolls, which is mandated under the Help America Vote Act. The DOJ's complaint followed a report that a non-citizen received an unsolicited mail-in ballot, prompting a request for detailed voter cancellation records dating back to 2020. Orange County officials, citing state privacy laws, redacted sensitive personal information such as Social Security and driver’s license numbers before providing records, leading to the DOJ suing after negotiations failed over confidentiality protections. County officials, including Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Katrina Foley, emphasized compliance with state laws and the rarity of ineligible voters, noting only 17 identified over five years among 1.9 million registered voters, while DOJ officials stressed the importance of unredacted data to ensure accurate and lawful elections. The dispute highlights tensions between federal demands for transparency in voter roll maintenance and state privacy protections, with the DOJ asserting that withholding information undermines election integrity. Prior to the lawsuit, Orange County had offered to work with DOJ under a confidentiality agreement to protect sensitive data, but the DOJ proceeded with legal action when the county refused to provide full unredacted records.