ELECTION INTEGRITY
Trump administration asks Washington state to set aside 400 alleged noncitizen ballots
The Justice Department has asked Washington state to separate and hold ballots tied to about 405 voters it says may be noncitizens, as state officials dispute the list’s accuracy and question the federal government’s authority days before the election.
The Justice Department has asked Washington state to separate and hold ballots tied to about 405 voters it says may be noncitizens, as state officials dispute the list’s accuracy and question the federal government’s authority days before the election.
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What This is
- The Justice Department asked Washington to set aside ballots from about 405 people it says may be registered without U.S. citizenship.
- Federal prosecutors say those flagged individuals cast about 1,500 votes in past Washington elections.
- The DOJ wants any new ballots from those voters kept separate until officials can confirm eligibility.
- Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said the federal list appears to include U.S. citizens and people not on the voter rolls, and he said DOJ has not followed due process.
- Washington officials said the flagged names may include lawful permanent residents and raised privacy and timing concerns about acting just days before the election.
- Washington officials are reviewing the federal request while prosecutors also seek decades of voter-roll information as part of a broader investigation, and no charges have been filed in Washington.
- The Washington request mirrors other Trump administration efforts, including a legally contested push to stop California from counting about 20,000 mail ballots tied to a federal noncitizen list.
Why This Matters
- Separating ballots days before an election can delay or sideline eligible voters if the underlying list is wrong.
- Disputes over who can order ballot-handling rules sharpen the ongoing fight over state control of elections versus federal enforcement power.
- Broad voter-data demands and door-to-door checks can chill participation by making lawful voters fear scrutiny or mistakes.
- Public legal battles over alleged noncitizen voting can erode trust in results, even when only a small share of ballots is affected.