The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Orange County’s top election official, accusing him of refusing to turn over key voter registration records related to noncitizens.
On Wednesday, the DOJ announced the civil suit against Orange County Registrar of Voters Bob Page, alleging he failed to provide unredacted information about noncitizens who were removed – or attempted to register – from the county’s voter rolls. The federal complaint claims this violates the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), a 2002 law designed to modernize and secure the nation’s election systems.
According to the DOJ, the dispute centers on access to five years’ worth of data involving voter registrations that were canceled for failing to meet citizenship requirements. While Orange County did respond to the DOJ’s request, the department says the registrar redacted key details and warned of potential litigation if more data was demanded.
The registrar’s office, in turn, cited California state law as the reason for withholding certain information and suggested a compromise to avoid legal action. That effort failed, and the DOJ moved forward with the lawsuit.
The issue gained attention last year when Michael Gates, then the Huntington Beach City Attorney, posted online about a noncitizen reportedly receiving a ballot in the mail. Gates now serves as a U.S. Attorney and is one of the officials leading the lawsuit.
“Voting by non-citizens is a federal crime, and states and counties that refuse to disclose all requested voter information are in violation of well-established federal elections laws,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon in a statement. She emphasized that accurate voter rolls are essential to maintaining election integrity.
The lawsuit also comes in the wake of former President Donald Trump’s executive order earlier this year, which pushed for stricter voter registration requirements, including proof of citizenship. That order is currently facing legal challenges from several states, including California.
KTLA reached out to Registrar Bob Page for comment, but his office declined to speak, citing the pending litigation.
The case marks a significant clash between federal oversight and California election law—and could set a precedent for how far states must go in complying with federal requests related to voter integrity.