Judicial Watch, a conservative activist group, has criticized California’s voting and ballot counting processes for several reasons:
- Voter roll maintenance: Judicial Watch claims that California’s voter rolls are inaccurate and contain more registered voters than eligible citizens in some counties. They argue this could lead to potential voter fraud[1][2].
- Extended ballot counting period: California allows mail-in ballots to be counted up to a week after Election Day if postmarked by Election Day. Judicial Watch views this extended period as problematic and potentially open to manipulation[5].
- Slow counting process: California’s methodical approach to counting votes, which can take weeks to complete, has been criticized by Judicial Watch as unnecessarily slow compared to other states like Florida[5][6].
- Mail-in voting: The group has expressed concerns about the widespread use of mail-in ballots in California, suggesting it increases the risk of fraud[1][2].
- Same-day voter registration: Judicial Watch has criticized California’s policy of allowing same-day voter registration, arguing it complicates the verification process[5].
- Ballot curing: The organization has taken issue with California’s practice of allowing voters to fix problems with their ballots (like missing signatures) for up to two days after the election[5].
It’s important to note that many of Judicial Watch’s claims about voter fraud and inaccurate voter rolls have been disputed by election officials and fact-checkers. California election officials maintain that their processes prioritize accuracy, accessibility, and maximum voter participation, even if it means a longer counting period[5][6][7].
Citations:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judicial_Watch
[2] https://www.democracydocket.com/analysis/judicial-watchs-dangerous-influence-behind-their-assault-on-voting-rights-and-election-integrity/
[3] https://www.judicialwatch.org/judicial-watch-sues-california-to-force-clean-up-of-voting-rolls/
[4] https://www.judicialwatch.org/keep-elections-honest/
[5] https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/11/us/california-ballot-count-house-election.html
[6] https://abc7.com/post/several-uncalled-house-races-are-california-is-takes-state-weeks-count-votes/15542213/
[7] https://laist.com/news/politics/2024-general-why-california-takes-so-long-to-count-votes-after-elections
[8] https://apnews.com/article/california-vote-count-house-f2fc180be874fe88d3944956ea929bc5
[9] https://www.perplexity.ai/elections/2024-11-05/us/president