San Mateo County's Registration and Elections Division received a letter late Friday, Oct. 23, from the U.S. Department of Justice asking for information on 328 registered voters whose eligibility the DOJ is questioning.
According to the county, the request is part of a broader federal review of about 20,000 registered voters across California whose citizenship status federal authorities have questioned. The DOJ asked election officials to review eligibility information and take additional steps regarding ballots tied to those voters.
County: not a court order
The county said it is reviewing the request with the California Secretary of State and the County Attorney's Office. It noted that the letter "does not itself constitute a court order" requiring changes to ballot processing.
"Our responsibility is to ensure that every eligible voter can exercise their right to vote while maintaining the integrity and accuracy of our elections," Chief Elections Officer Mark Church said.
The DOJ's actions are the subject of federal litigation. The county said the Ninth Circuit heard arguments Sunday, Oct. 25, about a request to segregate ballots, with a federal district court hearing set for Tuesday, Oct. 27.
What voters should know
Voting continues as usual for the Nov. 3 general election. Voters may return mail ballots by mail, at any official drop box or at any Vote Center, or vote in person at any Vote Center in the county, officials said.