DOJ Announces Multiple Election Fraud Investigations in California Amid Ongoing Primary Ballot Count

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced on June 5, 2026, that it has opened multiple election fraud investigations related to the state’s June 2 primary elections, working in coordination with the FBI and the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, a Trump appointee leading the office, disclosed the probes in a post on X, stating his office is pursuing the investigations while highlighting “serious structural vulnerabilities” in California’s election system. He emphasized a commitment to “follow the evidence wherever it leads and prosecute any violations of federal election law to the fullest extent.”

Essayli also revealed collaboration with Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon on a comprehensive audit of California’s voter rolls, noting the state has resisted efforts to verify eligibility and share data. “The state has stonewalled every effort to verify that only eligible U.S. citizens are registered to vote,” he wrote.

The announcement coincides with the slow tally of ballots from Tuesday’s primary, particularly in high-profile races for governor and Los Angeles mayor, where late-arriving mail ballots have narrowed leads for Trump-endorsed candidates like Steve Hilton. An assistant U.S. attorney visited the Los Angeles County ballot processing center Friday for an overview and walkthrough of operations, a move county officials described as part of their standard public observation program.

Essayli pointed to a recent successful prosecution as evidence of ongoing issues, referencing the case of Brenda Lee Brown Armstrong, who pleaded guilty to paying individuals, including homeless people on Skid Row, to register to vote using her address. The scheme allegedly spanned 20 years and involved mail-in ballots.

The investigations follow President Trump’s public statements questioning the integrity of California’s vote counting process. Trump described the state as “crooked” and suggested Democrats were manipulating results as late ballots favored certain candidates. Administration officials and supporters have long criticized California’s universal mail-in voting, extended deadlines, and lack of strict voter ID and citizenship verification as creating opportunities for fraud.

California election officials and Democrats have pushed back, attributing shifts in vote totals to the normal counting of valid mail ballots received by the deadline, with Democrats tending to vote by mail later. They maintain fraud is rare and rejected claims of widespread irregularities. State leaders accused the federal actions of being politically motivated.

Republican candidates, including gubernatorial hopeful Steve Hilton, have called for major reforms such as limiting automatic mail ballots to request-only, imposing stricter deadlines, and improving counting efficiency. Hilton described the prolonged process as making California a “national and international laughingstock” but noted his campaign had not observed illegal activity.

This development marks an escalation in federal scrutiny of California’s elections under the Trump administration, building on prior monitoring efforts. The probes come as the state continues counting ballots from the primary, with no specific details released on the nature of the current investigations. Outcomes could include charges for violations such as illegal voting, ballot harvesting, or registration fraud.

The actions align with broader DOJ priorities to safeguard election integrity nationwide.