Dhillon is the former vice chair of the state Republican Party and Essayli is a former GOP state Assembly member.
But the five counties were specifically named by California Republican Party Chair Corrin Rankin, in a letter sent to Dhillon on Monday, requesting the poll monitors.
Newsom insisted the deployment is laying the groundwork for the Trump administration to question the results of California’s vote.
Local election officials had a more measured response to the announcement of federal poll watchers.
“Federal election monitors, like all election observers, are welcome to view election activities at designated locations to confirm transparency and integrity in the election process.
The poll-watcher deployment marks the latest conflict between Newsom and President Donald Trump over federal actions in California.
On Thursday, Trump said he decided to call off a planned federal “surge” into San Francisco, after a conversation with the city’s mayor, Daniel Lurie. »