A Count You Can Trust Issues Statement on Federal Election Enforcement in California

LOS ANGELES - A Count You Can Trust, the independent nonpartisan coalition working to strengthen confidence in Los Angeles County elections, has serious concerns that recent federal enforcement activity could discourage eligible Angelenos from casting ballots they are entitled to cast. A federal judge reached a similar conclusion today, barring the Department of Homeland Security from election-related field operations in California and eight other states that involve people agents know or reasonably should suspect are U.S. citizens, after finding the effort rested on a target list she described as “voluminous and unreliable.” The order runs through Election Day.

“The fastest way to lose your vote this year is to decide not to vote. If you are eligible to vote, we urge you to fill out your ballot and send it in, walk into a vote center starting Saturday or go to the polls on Election Day. Our vote is sacred – as is the knowledge that all eligible ballots cast in Los Angeles County will be counted,” said Antonio Villaraigosa, Co-Chair, A Count You Can Trust. “These cases are before the courts, where they belong. But they should not impact whether eligible Angelenos vote. I urge all eligible voters to cast their ballot any time between now and November 3.”

Angelenos anticipated this moment. In countywide polling released by the coalition yesterday, 74 percent of likely Los Angeles County voters said they were worried that false rumors and misleading information online could confuse voters or convince them their ballots will not count. At the same time, 76 percent said they are confident the November election will be accurate, and 76 percent said that explanations of voting options, ballot receipt, signature verification and the chance to correct errors give them further confidence. The survey was conducted by Tulchin Research in partnership with the Los Angeles Times among 500 likely November 2026 voters in Los Angeles County. Full results are available at acountyoucantrust.org/news/polling-results-press-release.

Los Angeles County has a rigorous process in place to verify that ballots are cast lawfully and to ensure the integrity of all votes cast. This includes: signatures on returned mail ballots are verified against each voter’s registration record; and allowing a voter whose signature cannot be matched has until 5 p.m. on November 25 to correct it. Ballots postmarked by November 3 are counted if they arrive by November 10. Los Angeles County certifies its results by December 3 and the Secretary of State certifies the statewide result on December 11. More information on how ballots are verified is available from the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk at lavote.gov. For information on how and where to vote, visit lavote.gov.

Today’s order is limited to field operations and interviews, and it is stayed until 5 p.m. Friday to allow an appeal. It does not affect the criminal cases announced on October 19 or the separate federal lawsuit seeking to set aside Los Angeles County ballots. Both remain before the courts, and the coalition takes no position on either. Californians have cast more than 289 million ballots since 2002. The federal review of that entire record produced twenty-eight cases.

About A Count You Can Trust

A Count You Can Trust is an independent, nonpartisan coalition of Angelenos, launched as an initiative of the California Community Foundation, that shares fact-based information about how Los Angeles County elections work. The coalition does not support or oppose any candidate, political party, or ballot measure and is not affiliated with the official county elections office. Learn more at acountyoucantrust.org.