California Lawmakers Defend State’s Election Integrity & Oppose Voter Intimidation by Department of Justice Election Monitors

WASHINGTON, DC - With a pivotal statewide election around the corner, a group of 41 Democratic Members of Congress from California are defending the Golden State's transparent and secure election system while denouncing the use of election monitors from President Trump's Department of Justice to intimidate voters.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced that it will send federal election monitors to polling sites in five California counties ahead of the November 4, 2025, general election. In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, the lawmakers outlined California's robust election system and urged the DOJ to refrain from conduct that lowers voter participation or intimidates voters.

"While we believe this decision is unnecessary and unjustified, California's election administration represents the gold standard for the nation, and we welcome fair and impartial DOJ observation and monitoring," the lawmakers wrote. "However, we urge you to respect the free and fair election already underway and refrain from further engaging in conduct that seeks to lower voter participation, intimidate voters, or undermine voters' trust in the outcome."

The Trump Administration, without any evidence, has made widespread false claims about the integrity of states' elections and has pulled back its duty to enforce civil rights protections. The California lawmakers emphasized the need to protect eligible voters, including naturalized U.S. citizens, from voter suppression tactics.

They wrote: "let us be crystal clear: We will not tolerate federal interference in Californians' right to vote, including by the Department engaging in any form of intimidation of immigrant communities."

The letter was co-led by Rep. Zoe Lofren, (CA-18), Chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation; Rep. Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Co-Chair of the Taskforce on Strengthening Democracy; Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Rep. Ted Lieu (CA-36); Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), and Rep. Norma Torres (CA-35). The letter was also signed by Reps. Aguilar (CA-33), Barragán (CA-44), Bera (CA-06), Brownley (CA-26), Carbajal (CA-24), Chu (CA-28), Cisneros (CA-31), Correa (CA-46), Costa (CA-21), DeSaulnier (CA-10), Friedman (CA-30), Garamendi (CA-08), Garcia (CA-42), Gomez (CA-34), Huffman (CA-02), Jacobs (CA-51), Khanna (CA-17), Levin (CA-49), Liccardo (CA-16), Matsui (CA-07), Min (CA-47), Panetta (CA-19), Pelosi (CA-11), Peters (CA-50), Rivas (CA-29), Ruiz (CA-25), Sánchez (CA-38), Sherman (CA-32), Simon (CA-12), Swalwell (CA-14), Takano (CA-39), Thompson (CA-04), Tran (CA-45), Vargas (CA-52), Waters (CA-43), Whitesides (CA-27).

Read the letter here or the text below.

Dear Attorney General Bondi and Assistant Attorney General Dhillon:

We write to you in response to the announcement made by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on October 24, 2025, that it will monitor polling sites in five California counties ahead of the upcoming November 4, 2025, general election. While we believe this decision is unnecessary and unjustified, California's election administration represents the gold standard for the nation, and we welcome fair and impartial DOJ observation and monitoring. However, let us be crystal clear: We will not tolerate federal interference in Californians' right to vote, including by the Department engaging in any form of intimidation of immigrant communities.

California routinely administers the largest statewide elections in the United States. In the last such election in November 2024, more than 16.1 million Californians voted without incident, representing more than 71 percent of registered voters, well above the national average. We are proud that the state continues to be a model of free and fair elections not only in the United States but around the world.

In addition to being the largest, California elections are also highly transparent and secure. First, every voter in the state receives a ballot that they may return in lieu of voting in person. Each returned ballot has a voter-verifiable paper audit trail, which means voters know that their ballot has arrived and has been counted. Ballots are carefully checked in an open, audited process that ensures the integrity of every vote. Second, voting machines used for in-person voting are carefully tested - also in an open process - including by validating source code, reviewing hardware and software security, and conducting penetration testing.

While we support transparency, any interference in California's state election - absent a violation of federal law - is unacceptable. Thus far, the DOJ has provided neither evidence nor a credible allegation of a violation of federal law with respect to elections in California. Federal monitoring of elections is not new. However, what is new is the way this Department is using its power: Shortly after taking office, Assistant Attorney General Dhillon announced the Civil Rights Division would move away from enforcing civil rights laws and instead focus on "voter fraud" particularly among undocumented immigrants. This is despite the fact that even allegations of such incidents are exceedingly rare across the country.

In at least 40 states - including California - the Department has already taken steps to undermine elections by seeking to obtain sensitive personal information of voters. These are inappropriate and blatant attempts to suppress voter turnout. Such moves are unacceptable and have no place in the United States. Now that the Department has decided to send election monitors to California without any credible foundation, we remind you that the Department's role is to observe and, where appropriate, enforce federal law; the United States DOJ has no other role to play at this stage in California's state election.

We welcome the DOJ's impartial observation of California's exemplary elections process and stand ready to work with our federal partners in good faith to address any issues should they arise. However, we urge you to respect the free and fair election already underway and refrain from further engaging in conduct that seeks to lower voter participation, intimidate voters, or undermine voters' trust in the outcome.

###