Justice Department subpoenas California election workers in its noncitizen voting investigation

The U.S. Justice Department has issued federal grand jury subpoenas to local election officials in California as it investigates claims that as many as 20,000 noncitizens are on the state's voter rolls, a U.S. official confirmed to NBC News on Thursday.

The Associated Press obtained copies of three subpoenas sent Oct. 21 and Oct. 24 to employees of the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder, ordering them to appear in court on Nov. 4, the day after the election. The subpoenas seek documents and communications tied to letters federal officials sent state election officials in July and October outlining the noncitizen allegations. The county registrar's office released the subpoenas Thursday, and the employees are due at a federal courthouse in Orange County, Politico reported.

At least four California election workers have received subpoenas over the past week, including one delivered Thursday to the Orange County Registrar of Voters' office that seeks unredacted voter records for 60 people, CalMatters reported. It is unclear how many subpoenas were sent in all, according to NBC News.

"Receiving a subpoena doesn't mean you are a target," Justice Department spokesperson Kiersten Pels said in a statement to CalMatters. The department declined to comment to NBC News on what it called leaks about alleged grand jury subpoenas.

The subpoenas came a day after a federal judge rejected the administration's request to set aside 20,000 mail ballots from people it says are noncitizens, and the same judge appointed a special master Thursday to evaluate the administration's claims, the AP reported. U.S. District Judge David O. Carter had said in court this week that "any threats to state or county (election) employees cease immediately," according to CalMatters.