Filed Date: Oct. 1, 2019
Closed Date: Jan. 23, 2020
Clearinghouse coding complete
This is a case alleging violations of the National Voter Registration Act by California's failure to determine the citizenship of voter applicants.
On October 1, 2019, three California voters, represented by private counsel, filed this lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California against the California Secretary of State and the Director of the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Plaintiffs alleged that the California Secretary of State and California DMV Director violated sections 8(a)(1) and 5(e) of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993 by failing to ascertain the citizenship of voter registration applicants. Specifically, Plaintiffs alleged that the Defendant Secretary of State failed to ensure that all voter applicants are U.S. citizens, thus causing non-citizens to be placed on California’s voter rolls. Plaintiffs also alleged that the defendant California DMV failed to transmit citizenship information that it received from California driver’s license applicants to the Defendant Secretary of State’s office that would enable the Defendant Secretary of State to assess the eligibility of voter applicants. Plaintiffs also alleged that Defendants failed to produce to Plaintiffs certain records concerning their activities in violation of section 8(i) of the NVRA. Plaintiffs sought declaratory and injunctive relief.
On December 16, 2019, Defendants moved to dismiss the complaint, arguing that (1) Plaintiffs lacked Article III standing because they suffered no injury and they failed to provide statutory notice of the alleged section 8(i) violation; and (2) Plaintiffs failed to state cognizable claims.
Also on December 16, 2019, four non-profit, non-partisan organizations, along with three California residents, filed a motion to intervene in the action.
Plaintiffs did not file an opposition to either the motion to dismiss or motion to intervene.
On January 23, 2020, Plaintiffs filed a notice of voluntary dismissal without prejudice as to all defendants. The details of the dismissal are unknown to the Clearinghouse at this time.
This case is now closed.
Summary Authors
Kate Stutz (1/8/2025)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/16282951/parties/hoge-v-padilla/
England, Morrison C. (California)
Dhillon, Harmeet Kaur (California)
Agarwal, Shilpi (California)
Diaz, Sonja Francine Marie (California)
Ferrari, Anna Theresa (California)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/16282951/hoge-v-padilla/
Last updated March 7, 2026, 5:03 a.m.
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA) project
Key Dates
Filing Date: Oct. 1, 2019
Closing Date: Jan. 23, 2020
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
California voters
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
State
California Secretary of State; Director of California Department of Motor Vehicles
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Voting Rights Act, section 5, 52 U.S.C. § 10304 (previously 42 U.S.C. § 1973c)
Voting Rights Act, unspecified, 52 U.S.C. § 10301 et seq (previously 42 U.S.C § 1973 et seq.)
Other Dockets:
Eastern District of California 2:19-cv-01985
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Relief Granted:
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Issues
Voting:
Case Summary of Hoge v. Padilla, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/44707/ (last updated 1/8/2025).