Fresno City Council President Mike Karbassi has raised concerns about the U.S. Department of Justice’s decision to send election monitors to Fresno County for the upcoming Nov. 4 election. Speaking at a press conference outside Fresno City Hall, Karbassi addressed issues facing county voters and the DOJ’s plans to observe local polling places.
Last Friday, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the DOJ would monitor polls in six jurisdictions, including Fresno County. Other counties listed were Kern, Riverside, Orange, Los Angeles in California, and Passaic County in New Jersey.
Karbassi stated that out of more than 3,100 counties nationwide, only six were selected due to worries about how local elections are managed. “This is not about politics, it’s entirely about accountability,” Karbassi said.
He pointed out past problems with local elections. Last year, he said 300 voters received incorrect ballots before certification of the results. He also mentioned an incident involving a key left in a ballot drop box as a security concern.
According to Karbassi, many voters have told him that long lines at polling stations are their main issue when voting. He attributed these delays to mismanagement by the Fresno County Elections department. He also noted that Fresno County was among the last nationally to provide results for the November congressional race between Representative Adam Gray and former Representative John Duarte.
Karbassi is running for Fresno County Elections Clerk against incumbent James Kus. He reported hearing from constituents about “zombie ballots”—ballots cast for candidates who have dropped out of races—as well as duplicate ballots and ballots sent to people who have moved or died.
“All of this is preventable with proper voter role management which is something that hasn’t happened in the last six years. Unfortunately, that’s something that’s failed to been implemented effectively and that is one of the top reasons why the DOJ is coming to Fresno so they can monitor our elections,” Karbassi said.
He encouraged residents with election concerns to visit MikeforFresno.com and emphasized his commitment to ensuring accuracy and transparency if elected clerk. Despite these issues, he urged everyone to participate in voting.
James Kus responded by welcoming engagement on election matters but questioned Karbassi’s understanding of legal requirements involved in administering elections. “I think it’s an example of someone who has been at city hall for a while, participated in elections, but like most voters, hasn’t had a chance to come down, ask the questions, learn about the process and actually become educated about elections themselves,” Kus said.
Kus explained that two to eight percent of voters typically receive multiple ballots due to routine processes such as reissuing lost or damaged ballots. Regarding delays in reporting results from November 2024 races, Kus clarified that deadlines were set by state law and no other county reported final results earlier than required.
