Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Pasadena-Area Election Workers Would Receive Legal Protection Under New L.A. County Motion

Los Angeles County supervisors approved a motion aimed at strengthening election resiliency and protecting election workers — a move with implications for those administering voting in Pasadena — as the county prepares for the June 2, 2026 Primary Election and the Nov. 3, 2026 General Election.

The action, authored by Board Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis and Third District Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath, affirms that Los Angeles County will provide for the legal defense of County election employees, in accordance with California Government Code Section 995.8, if they face federal criminal charges arising from the good-faith performance of their official election duties within the scope of their employment.

The motion responds to threats of federal interference by the Trump administration ahead of the 2026 elections, according to the county’s press release. It also establishes clear authority for the County to take timely legal action should federal interference threaten the integrity or administration of the 2026 elections.

“We cannot ignore the very real threats posed by the Trump administration against election workers and democratic institutions across the country,” Solis said in the county’s statement. “Los Angeles County has a responsibility to protect the integrity of our elections, defend the public servants who administer them and ensure every eligible voter can safely cast a ballot and have it counted.”

The motion comes amid what it describes as escalating national concern over federal lawsuits, threats of arrests tied to election administration activities, and reports of ballot confiscation efforts in jurisdictions across the country.

“Free and fair elections are nonnegotiable, and the public servants who make them possible deserve to be protected,” Horvath said in the statement. “At a time when election workers across the country are facing increasing threats and intimidation, Los Angeles County will stand behind our employees and defend the integrity of our democratic process.”

The motion also authorizes County Counsel and the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk to initiate, join, participate in or support litigation, including amicus filings, in defense of free and fair elections and in response to any federal interference or disruption affecting the June and November 2026 elections.

Because Pasadena residents vote within the Los Angeles County system, the legal protections and county-level actions outlined in the motion would apply to election workers staffing Pasadena vote centers.