UCLA Analysis Finds 42 Percent of DOJ Noncitizen Voter List Names Absent
A UCLA analysis released Saturday found that more than 42 percent of the 20,930 names flagged by the Trump administration's Justice Department as suspected noncitizens in California cannot be found on the state's current voter rolls. UCLA data scientists examined the federal list, which the DOJ demanded election officials treat as likely ineligible voters by separating their ballots during the midterm election. Multiple federal judges have rejected the DOJ's demand as unconstitutional and a threat to democracy. The analysis also identified at least 22 individuals appearing to be U.S. citizens on the list. Election officials in California counties found numerous errors in the list, including duplicate names and individuals who never registered to vote. The DOJ maintains that each person on the list was individually reviewed and that protecting election integrity is critical, while critics argue the list's methodology is flawed and risks disenfranchising eligible voters.
Key facts
- 8,880 names on the 20,930-name DOJ list do not appear on California's current voter file, representing 42 percent
- UCLA researchers noted the DOJ removed voter ID numbers from the list, making verification harder for election officials
- Multiple federal judges have rejected the DOJ's demand to segregate ballots from the flagged voters
- DOJ charged 28 foreign nationals in California with election crimes, all appearing on the 20,000-name list
- Federal prosecutor called the UCLA analysis bogus, while county officials said the list is unreliable
- Los Angeles County preliminary analysis found the October list contained people who appear to be U.S.-born citizens
How different outlets framed it
Left-leaning coverage: Left-leaning outlets highlight the list as riddled with errors and stress it endangers eligible voters, particularly naturalized citizens. They emphasize that multiple judges have rejected the DOJ's demands as unconstitutional and that the list lacks essential voter ID numbers needed for accurate verification.
Right-leaning coverage: Right-leaning outlets like Fox News report that federal prosecutors claim each name was individually reviewed and verified, and that even one noncitizen voting is too many. They cite the DOJ's criminal charges against 28 foreign nationals in California for voting crimes as evidence of real illegal voting occurring.
Limits of this briefing
The DOJ has not publicly disclosed its detailed methodology for identifying the 20,000 alleged noncitizens, making independent verification of the list's accuracy difficult. Both sides dispute whether errors indicate systemic problems with the identification process or are manageable data-matching issues.
Sources
- AP/US News: More Than 40% of Names on DOJ List of Alleged Noncitizens Not on California's Voter Rolls: Analysis Centre
- PBS NewsHour: Analysis: More than 40% of names on DOJ list of alleged noncitizens not on California's voter rolls Centre
- Salon: Trump DOJ's California noncitizen voter list riddled with errors Left
- Fox News: DOJ has verified 20,000 noncitizens on California voter rolls, federal prosecutor says Right
- NPR: DOJ charges 28 in California with voting crimes as election tensions escalate Centre