A quiet but critical investigation is underway, revealing potential vulnerabilities in the integrity of American elections. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Harmeet Dhillon, recently disclosed startling findings from a federal review of state voter registration data.
The Department of Justice examined records from nearly 30 states, totaling 47.5 million voter registrations. The results are deeply concerning: over 260,000 deceased individuals are still listed as eligible voters. Furthermore, several thousand non-citizens appear to be registered for federal elections, raising serious questions about the security of the voting process.
This isn’t a passive inquiry. The DOJ is actively pursuing legal action against states refusing to cooperate with the review. Currently, fifteen lawsuits are pending against fourteen states, including two filed against California, all demanding access to voter registration lists as required by federal law.
The impetus for this widespread review stems from a recent executive order signed into law, prioritizing voter ID, documentary proof of citizenship, and enhanced security measures for voting machines. The order also directs the DOJ to vigorously enforce laws against states that count ballots received after Election Day and to prevent foreign influence in elections.
Dhillon emphasized the importance of maintaining accurate voter rolls, citing the Help America Vote Act. While four states voluntarily complied with requests for data, others required legal pressure. North Carolina, after being sued, is now proactively reviewing the records of 100,000 improperly enrolled voters.
The DOJ isn’t simply identifying issues; it’s prepared to take action. Where appropriate, the department is partnering with local law enforcement to prosecute individuals who have unlawfully cast ballots. Even a single illegal vote, officials stress, undermines the principle of “one person, one vote.”
The scale of the potential problem is significant, especially considering roughly 174 million people voted in the last election. The Department of Justice, under current leadership, has pledged to continue this vital work until confidence in the fairness and accuracy of American elections is fully restored.
This investigation isn’t about politics; it’s about safeguarding the fundamental right to vote and ensuring that every legal vote is counted equally. The pursuit of clean voter rolls is ongoing, with the DOJ determined to leave no stone unturned in its effort to protect the integrity of the electoral process.
