Secretary of State Shirley Weber Pushes Back Against DOJ Demands Over California Voter Rolls
California Secretary of State Shirley N. Weber criticized the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for demanding that state election officials investigate voters suspected of being noncitizens just weeks before the Nov. 3 general election.
“The U.S. DOJ’s relentless efforts to unlawfully gain access to states’ protected voter data and purge voter rolls serve only to cause chaos and fuel public distrust in our elections,” Weber said in an Oct. 14 statement.
Weber said her office received a demand to investigate an unspecified number of individuals the federal government believes are “likely noncitizens.” However, the DOJ did not provide her office with the list and gave California just 48 hours to obtain it, investigate and take action.
The demand comes as the DOJ, working with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), seeks to block California from counting mail-in ballots from approximately 20,000 registered voters whose citizenship status the federal government has questioned.
“State-facilitated voter fraud is unacceptable in the United States of America,” said U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche. “If found responsible in a court of law, the State of California will have seriously undermined confidence in our electoral system and violated laws that protect our nation’s representative system of government.”
According to Weber’s office, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk received the federal government’s list on a password-protected thumb drive, with the password written on a sticky note.
Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk Dean C. Logan said his office declined to access the files because the device did not meet established security standards.
“We have not accessed the drive because doing so would conflict with established data privacy and information security protocols,” Logan said. “We do not consider the device a secure medium.”
Weber also challenged earlier federal allegations that California had 190,000 noncitizens on its voter rolls, saying the Trump administration had failed to provide evidence or explain its methodology despite requests from her office.
“California has robust state law requirements that only U.S. citizens can register to vote and that any non-eligible registrants are removed from the state’s voter rolls,” Weber said. “My office and California election officials remain committed – as always – to ensuring a fair and smooth 2026 general election.”
The DOJ’s letters to the California secretary of state and Los Angeles County election officials outline the federal government’s demands.
“Raising a Child Shouldn’t Break the Bank”: California Is Helping Families Save on Childcare Costs
California families are paying less for subsidized childcare under new fee schedules introduced since 2019, according to information from the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC).
The state has expanded subsidized childcare, introduced free transitional kindergarten for 4-year-olds, and increased access to before- and after-school programs as part of broader efforts to reduce the financial burden of raising children. However, childcare affordability remains a challenge for many families.
According to a PPIC chart cited by the administration, a family of three earning $60,000 annually would have paid approximately $7,000 a year in fees for full-time subsidized childcare under the 2019-20 schedule. Under the 2025-26 schedule, the annual fee is zero. The figures are adjusted for inflation.
“Raising a child shouldn’t break the bank,” Newsom said. He added that the state has lowered costs, expanded access to affordable care, and increased educational opportunities to help parents and children thrive.
Since 2019, California has added approximately 149,000 subsidized childcare slots and awarded 3,800 grants to providers to improve facilities and expand capacity. The state has also expanded before-and after-school care and summer programs for students in transitional kindergarten through sixth grade, offering activities such as homework assistance, arts, music, and science enrichment.
Universal transitional kindergarten is another major component of the state’s strategy. The free program is available to all 4-year-olds in California, providing early education while helping families avoid some childcare expenses. California enrolled 213,313 children in transitional kindergarten during the 2025-26 school year. The Newsom administration says the state has invested $12.5 billion since 2019 to implement the program statewide.
Other initiatives include expanding paid family leave from six weeks to eight weeks and increasing wage replacement for eligible workers.
Those earning less than $65,000 annually can receive up to 90% of their regular wages while on leave.
California has also provided free meals to public school students and established the CalKIDS savings program, which provides eligible children with accounts to help cover future college and career training expenses.
The state has further supported childcare providers through collective bargaining, committing more than $800 million to health, retirement, and training benefits for members of Child Care Providers United.
While these initiatives have expanded support for families, the PPIC figures specifically illustrate changes in subsidized childcare fees, not the full cost of care for every household. Ensuring that affordable, accessible childcare is available to families across income levels remains an ongoing challenge for California.
Atty Gen. Bonta Sues Trump Admin, Blocking Decision to Close San Francisco National Archives
California Attorney General Rob Bonta sued the Trump administration to block the planned closure of the National Archives at in San Francisco, arguing that the move would limit access to historical records essential to families, Tribal communities, researchers and state agencies.
The lawsuit, filed Oct. 14 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, challenges the National Archives and Records Administration’s (NARA) decision to close the facility in San Bruno and distribute its records among five federal archives locations across the country.
Bonta argues that the decision violates the federal Administrative Procedure Act because the agency failed to adequately consider the consequences for California and other affected communities.
“These records belong here with the communities whose stories they tell, and I’ll fight to keep them here,” Bonta said during a press conference announcing the lawsuit.
The San Francisco National Archives houses more than 75,000 cubic feet of federal records covering Northern and Central California, Hawaii, most of Nevada, Guam, and American Samoa. Its collections include immigration and court records, genealogical documents, Indian boarding school records, and files related to the Chinese Exclusion Act and Japanese American internment.
The archives also hold records from Fred Korematsu’s legal challenge to his arrest for refusing to report for internment during World War II. Families use the records to trace their ancestry and establish citizenship, while Tribal communities rely on them to establish membership, seek federal recognition, and defend land and treaty rights.
“The federal government should not be putting up barriers between Californians and the records they depend on,” Bonta said, criticizing the federal government for proceeding without sufficient consultation or consideration of the consequences.
NARA informed employees in June that it planned to close the San Francisco and Chicago archives within the next few years, with transfers beginning within months.
In August, the agency announced that San Francisco’s holdings would be distributed among five facilities. According to Bonta’s office, transfers could begin as soon as this week, starting with NASA records moving to Fort Worth, Texas.
The state argues that losing local access could disrupt public projects requiring historical research to comply with environmental laws.
California State Parks, for example, consulted the archives more than 10 times while refurbishing the barracks on Angel Island. Officials warn that pending projects could become impossible to complete if records are temporarily unavailable or too costly to access out of state.
University researchers also depend on physical access to archival materials that are not available online. Bonta’s office says fewer than 4% of National Archives records nationwide have been digitized, and some fragile documents cannot be digitized without risking damage.
Bonta is asking the court to overturn NARA’s closure decision and prohibit the transfer of records from the San Bruno facility. The lawsuit seeks to preserve local access to historical materials used for research, education, and public projects.
Report: As the Number of California Aging Workers Rise, Black Participation Holds Steady
California’s older workforce is expected to grow significantly over the next 15 years, reshaping the state’s labor market as its population ages. A new report from the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) projects that the number of workers age 65 and older will increase even as overall labor force participation among older adults remains largely unchanged.
The report, Older Workers in California, by Hans Johnson, Eric McGhee, Daniel Payares-Montoya, and Sarah Bohn, examines workforce trends and projects changes through 2040. The policy brief was adapted by Vicki Hsieh and supported by the James Irvine Foundation.
By 2040, about 23% of Californians will be 65 or older, up from 14% in 2020. Meanwhile, the state’s working-age population is expected to remain virtually unchanged, creating challenges for the labor market and public programs serving older residents.
In 2024, approximately 1.3 million Californians age 65 and older were in the labor force. That number is projected to reach 1.8 million by 2040.
Older workers also accounted for about 30% of California’s labor force growth between 2006 and 2024, when the number of workers in this age group increased by approximately 754,000.
The report projects that the racial and ethnic composition of California’s older population will continue to change. White Californians accounted for 51% of the population age 65 and older in 2024, down from 64% in 2006. That share is projected to fall to about 41% by 2040, while the Latino share is expected to rise from 23% to 29% and the Asian share from 17% to 21%.
Black Californians are projected to remain about 6% of the state’s older population through 2040. The report also projects that labor force participation rates among older adults will converge across racial and ethnic groups, reaching approximately 18% by 2040.
The findings highlight the financial pressures facing some older workers. About 20% of Californians age 65 and older were living in poverty in 2023 and 2024, with an additional 14% considered near-poor.
Wages help keep an estimated 800,000 older Californians out of poverty.
The report notes that some older adults continue working by choice, while others do so because their retirement income is insufficient. Rising living costs, limited retirement savings, and changes in public benefits can make continued employment an economic necessity.
As California prepares for an aging population, the researchers point to the importance of workplace flexibility, protection against age discrimination, and policies that support older adults’ economic security.
20 Years of California Climate Law: Gov. Newsom and Former Gov. Schwarzenegger Lead Milestone Celebration
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger celebrated two decades of the state’s landmark climate law on Wednesday, Oct. 14, highlighting California’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while growing its economy and expanding clean-energy investment.
The Democratic governor and Republican former governor appeared together at the 15th annual California Economic Summit in Long Beach to mark the 20th anniversary of Assembly Bill 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act, which Schwarzenegger signed in September 2006. The law established a framework for reducing California’s greenhouse gas emissions and helped lay the groundwork for the state’s cap-and-invest program.
“We’ve shown the world what a state can accomplish,” Schwarzenegger said, highlighting California’s climate leadership.
Newsom credited Schwarzenegger’s decision to sign AB 32 with helping create the state’s cap-and-invest program, which requires companies to reduce their emissions, purchase allowances, or fund projects that offset pollution. Revenue from the program supports climate initiatives, affordable housing and transportation projects, as well as electricity bill credits for residents.
Newsom said California has reinvested $16 billion to offset residents’ electricity costs since the program began and expects to receive another $8 billion over the next four years.
He also argued that predictable climate policies encourage businesses to invest in California’s clean-energy economy, pointing to Tesla as an example of the opportunities created by the state’s regulatory framework.
“There’s no Elon Musk without what Gov. Schwarzenegger did because there would be no Tesla,” Newsom said.
Schwarzenegger agreed that long-term policy certainty helps attract investment, arguing that California’s climate initiatives demonstrate that environmental protections and economic development can advance together.
The state extended its cap-and-invest program through 2045 last year, giving businesses a longer-term framework for planning investments and meeting emissions requirements.
However, California’s approach continues to face criticism over energy affordability and regulatory costs. Wayne Winegarden, a senior fellow at the Pacific Research Institute, argued that assessments of the state’s climate policies should more fully account for the high energy costs faced by Californians. Critics have also questioned how much of the state’s economic growth can be directly attributed to its environmental regulations.
The governors’ joint appearance underscored their shared support for climate action despite their political differences. Schwarzenegger has criticized Newsom’s support for Proposition 50, the 2025 redistricting measure that temporarily allowed California lawmakers to redraw congressional districts.
The anniversary comes as California continues to pursue emissions reductions and clean-energy investment while facing questions about the cost of its climate policies for households and businesses.
