California’s Voter Registration: An “Honor System” Exposed — Trump Amplifies Sheriff’s Warning
- Kari Chilson
- Nov 3, 2025
- 3 min read
Yesterday, November 2, 2025, President Donald Trump reposted a 51-second video clip on Truth Social that has reignited fierce debate over California’s election integrity. The clip is from a February 16, 2023, San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office press conference, where officials detailed voter fraud charges against a local councilmember. It features Captain Hardy warning that the state’s online voter registration system operates on an “honor system” — with no real-time verification of citizenship, residency, or identity.
“You are able to register and cast a vote if you don't live in the country… The online voter registration system, it seems to be an honor system. Anybody can put information in there to register to vote. All you have to do is click a box and say that you're not lying, and then you'll get an email from the Secretary of State or something in the mail saying thank you for registering to vote...Once you are on the voter rolls, anytime an election comes around, guess what, you get mailed a ballot..." — San Joaquin County Sheriff Captain Hardy
The Case That Started It All: Shakir Khan
On February 16, 2023, San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow and Captain Hardy held a press conference announcing the arrest of Lodi City Councilmember Shakir Khan.
Khan had been under investigation for illegal gambling, fraud, and money laundering. During a search of his home days before the 2020 election, deputies discovered:
41 sealed, completed mail-in ballots — none belonging to residents of his household.
Khan was sworn into office in January 2021 despite the ongoing probe.
He was first arraigned on September 28, 2021, on the initial charges.
2022: Citizens Raise Red Flags — Sheriff Digs Deeper
In 2022, concerned citizens flagged irregularities in local voter rolls. One address stood out: Shakir Khan’s residence.
When investigators cross-referenced records with the San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters (ROV), they uncovered:
Over 70 voter registrations tied to Khan’s home, phone number, or email — including people who never lived there.
2020 ballot envelope signatures that appeared nearly identical, raising forgery concerns.
A second search of Khan’s home during a pretrial release (OR) compliance check revealed more unauthorized ballots, as well as forged candidacy paperwork and evidence that Khan was pressuring community members to vote for him.
Result: Khan was arrested on February 16, 2023, on election fraud charges, including:
Voter intimidation
Submission of fraudulent registration to Secretary of State
Fraudulently casting votes
False nomination/declaration of candidacy
Causing/Procuring/Allowing false voter registration of self/another person
Forgery
Registering people without their knowledge
"Our investigation uncovered that Councilman Shakir Khan has attempted to undermine, manipulate, and violate one of our most fundamental rights here in our country and that is the right to free and fair elections... it appears he has targeted members of his own community, our Pakistani community in the north county..." — San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow (from the 2023 press conference)
The Bigger Discovery: California’s “VoteCal” Loopholes
Through the Khan investigation, Captain Hardy gained access to the state’s VoteCal system — California’s centralized voter database managed by the Secretary of State.
What he found was alarming:
“It’s an honor system... There are no checks and balances.”
How Anyone — Anywhere — Can Register to Vote in California:
Go to covr.sos.ca.gov.
Enter any name, address, and birthdate.
Check a box affirming: "I am a U.S. citizen and eligible to vote."
Receive confirmation email → Registered.
Ballot mailed to the address provided — no ID, no proof, no verification.
Sheriff’s investigators found:
3–4 individuals registered under Khan who lived outside the U.S. (including from Pakistan).
Others registered outside his district.
Red Flags in San Joaquin County Voter Rolls (per the 2023 Press Conference)
Active registrations found in the system:
Issue | Number Found |
Voters aged 90+ | 4,144 |
Birthdate listed as 1850 | 93 |
Registered at prison addresses | 232 |
Registered at businesses/NGOs | 125 |
No first name | 300 |
Duplicate voters | 110 |
Name: Jesus Christ | 1 |
Sources:
San Joaquin Sheriff’s Press Conference (Feb 16, 2023): YouTube Video – Features Withrow and Hardy.
Trump’s Truth Social Repost (Nov 2, 2025): Verified via social media shares.
Voter Stats: From 2023 conference (Hardy’s remarks at ~31:00 mark of the 51:26 video).
VoteCal System: CA SOS Official Site.
