SAN DIEGO (CNS) - Rep. Darrell Issa sued the state of California this week to stop mail-in ballots from being counted after Election Day, which he claims provides "an unfair electoral advantage for opponents of Republican congressional incumbents."
The federal lawsuit filed Thursday on Issa's behalf by conservative advocacy group Judicial Watch argues that counting vote-by-mail ballots that arrive up to seven days after Election Day violates federal law and directly led to the defeats of two Republican incumbents in last fall's election.
California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, who is named as the defendant in the complaint, said in a statement, "I will vigorously defend California's commonsense election laws and safeguard every voter's right to have their ballot counted."
The longtime Republican congressman's lawsuit states he intends to run for re-election in 2026, but "faces a material risk that he may lose future elections due to these unlawful ballots."
The complaint also states that "Even if late-arriving VBM ballots in 2026 do not result in his defeat, Plaintiff is injured when an electoral performance is seen as less impressive. An unimpressive result leads to the public perception that California voters are turning away from Plaintiff's message and platform."
In a Judicial Watch news release announcing the lawsuit's filing, Issa said, "California voters need all the help they can get to ensure fair elections."
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