The Justice Department despatched considered one of its attorneys to observe poll processing in Los Angeles Friday morning, the county’s elections workplace informed NCS, after President Donald Trump claimed earlier this week the US Attorney’s workplace there was investigating the vote counting.
A spokesperson for the county registrar-recorder mentioned “our office was notified late yesterday that the U.S. Attorney’s Office would send an Assistant U.S. Attorney to the Ballot Processing Center to observe ballot processing activities.”
“The individual arrived this morning, was provided an overview of the public observation program, and participated in a walkthrough of the ballot processing operations,” the spokesperson, Mike Sanchez mentioned in an e mail, noting that poll processing within the county is open to public remark.
Trump has claimed repeatedly, with out proof, that the sluggish tempo of the rely from Tuesday’s major was an indication of Democratic “cheating.” Several key races within the state haven’t been referred to as, and California has lengthy had a repute for being sluggish to report the outcomes. This is, partially, as a result of a major variety of the entire votes are available in as mail ballots which can be dropped off Election Day, in accordance to the California Voter Foundation, a nonprofit group that seeks to enhance the election course of.
The Justice Department didn’t instantly reply to NCS’s request for remark.
Earlier Friday, First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli — a Trump appointee who leads the Los Angeles-based US Attorney’s workplace — mentioned his workplace had “multiple election fraud investigations underway” in a social media publish that bashed California’s election system.
The US attorneys workplace in LA confirmed that considered one of its legal professionals was despatched to observe the poll counting, however didn’t reply to NCS’s inquiry about whether or not that transfer was related to the fraud investigations Essayli touted on social media.
The county registrar-recorder’s workplace has defended its processes, writing on social media Thursday that its “dedicated staff is working hard to ensure that every vote is accurately processed and verified for counting.”
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office informed NCS in a press release that it had “not received any complaints from the federal government regarding criminal misconduct related to vote-counting or fraud in the Los Angeles County primary election.”
California this 12 months has two marquee races — the governor’s race and the competition for Los Angeles mayor — that function outstanding Republicans. The high two finishers in every race will advance to the November normal election.
Typically, as extra votes are counted, Democratic candidates enhance their standing in contrast to Republicans, and that sample has been borne out this 12 months. This occurs as a result of votes solid in particular person on Election Day are nearly solely reported on election evening, whereas the votes counted later are predominately mail ballots. In current years, Democrats have been more likely to vote by mail whereas Republicans have most popular to vote in particular person on Election Day.
California Secretary of State Shirley Weber famous in a press release Thursday that state legislation provides election officers 30 days to full the counting and certification course of.
“(O)ur commitment is immediate: in California, every ballot is counted properly and every ballot is accounted for,” the assertion mentioned.
This story is growing and will probably be up to date.