In May, as the midterm election season heated up, U.S. President Donald Trump turned his attention to a familiar target: California. In an interview with Fox News, the Republican leader described the Democratic-leaning state as chaotic and lacking control over election integrity.
"California is fraud. Everything is fraud. The whole thing: their elections are fraud. Their mail-in voting is fraud," Trump told host Lara Trump, his daughter-in-law. "You know, they don't have polling places. Everything is by mail."
These claims are false. However, as the November general election approaches, Trump continues to raise unfounded concerns about election integrity, particularly in states like California where Democrats are expected to win.
Election officials in the state say they are ready to face that scrutiny. "Ultimately, part of our job is to be transparent and build public trust in our processes," said Matt Moreles, voter registrar for Santa Clara County, which includes San Jose.
While contingency plans are being prepared in case Trump seeks to alter the state's election system, Moreles explained that his office is focusing mainly on voter education. "That's really where we're focusing our efforts: ensuring that we provide clear and consistent messaging, cutting through the misinformation or disinformation that's out there," he said.
