Plaintiffs say California failed to remove hundreds of thousands of inactive voter registrations as required by federal law.

A bombshell federal lawsuit is putting California’s voter registration system under the microscope, alleging that nearly 873,000 inactive voter registrations remain on the state’s voter rolls in violation of federal law.

The lawsuit was filed against California Secretary of State Shirley Weber by Orange County Supervisor and Republican Secretary of State candidate Don Wagner alongside the American Independent Party of California. The case was brought with assistance from Judicial Watch, the government watchdog organization that has spearheaded numerous election integrity lawsuits across the country.

According to the complaint, California has failed to remove approximately 873,092 inactive voter registrations despite federal requirements mandating regular voter-roll maintenance.

The lawsuit argues that many of the registrations have remained on the rolls even after voters allegedly failed to participate in multiple consecutive federal election cycles and did not respond to address verification notices.

Court filings claim more than 873,000 registrations remained on California’s voter rolls after at least three consecutive federal elections without voter activity. The lawsuit further alleges that more than 151,000 registrations remained active after four consecutive federal election cycles without participation.

Plaintiffs contend that California’s practices violate the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), commonly known as the “Motor Voter” law, which requires states to maintain accurate voter registration records and remove ineligible registrations under certain circumstances.

“Accurate voter rolls are essential to maintaining public confidence in elections,” Wagner said in announcing the lawsuit.

The case revives long-running concerns about election integrity in California, which maintains the largest voter registration system in the nation with more than 23 million registered voters.

Judicial Watch previously reached a settlement with California and Los Angeles County in 2019 that resulted in the removal of more than 1.2 million inactive voter registrations. Plaintiffs argue the current lawsuit demonstrates that voter-roll maintenance problems continue despite those earlier efforts.

The complaint also points to what it describes as unusually low voter-roll cleanup activity in several counties. According to the filing, 20 California counties reportedly removed 50 or fewer inactive registrations during a recent review period despite significant population changes and continued migration out of the state.

Election integrity advocates argue that outdated voter registrations can create opportunities for administrative errors, duplicate registrations, and potential abuse within the election system, even if no fraudulent ballots are ultimately cast.

California officials have repeatedly defended the state’s election system, maintaining that multiple safeguards exist to prevent illegal voting. State election administrators frequently cite signature verification procedures, voter identity checks, ballot tracking systems, and criminal penalties for election fraud as evidence that California elections remain secure.

The lawsuit seeks a court order requiring California to implement more aggressive voter-roll maintenance procedures and remove registrations that plaintiffs claim no longer meet federal eligibility requirements.

The legal battle comes as election security remains a major issue nationwide following recent court rulings and ongoing debates over voter registration practices. It also arrives during a high-profile election season in California, where voters are already casting ballots in key statewide contests.

Recent election-related incidents have further intensified scrutiny. Officials recently confirmed that ballots were damaged after a ballot drop box was vandalized and set on fire. In another incident, a Bay Area voter reportedly discovered a ballot center unsecured outside of normal operating hours.

The case now heads to federal court, where judges will determine whether California’s voter registration practices comply with federal law and whether changes must be implemented ahead of future elections.