Washington state warns of election interference as Trump targets ballots over citizenship review
Federal request to Washington
In a letter to Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, the Justice Department asked Washington to separate ballots from the 405 people it flagged. It said those individuals had cast 1,500 votes in earlier elections.
Federal officials want any ballots they submit in next month’s midterm set aside until state officials confirm eligibility. The state sends mail ballots to all registered voters; more than 5 million people are on its rolls.
State questions the timing
Hobbs said his office is reviewing the request and noted that the federal data included the voters’ histories. One person on the list last voted in 1994. Hobbs said the request came one week before the General Election and was intended to create unfounded suspicion about the results. Acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd said he believed the 405 people identified so far were only a small part of a larger number.
Records and other state cases
Federal prosecutors say investigating illegal voting is difficult without direct access to state records. The Justice Department has sought addresses, birth dates, driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers.
The Washington action is the department’s third direct challenge involving a state while voting is underway. California and Alaska are also involved, and all three have competitive House or Senate races that could affect control of Congress.
Cases and prior investigations
In California, the Justice Department sued to require officials to isolate mail ballots from as many as 20,000 people suspected of not being citizens. A separate Alaska lawsuit seeks to delay certification if the Republican incumbent loses.
On Monday, judges declined the expedited ruling requested by the Justice Department in the Alaska matter and sent it to a lower court. The department also told Washington it expects to send another list before Election Day, while acknowledging that some people may have naturalized after registering.
Key points
- The Justice Department flagged 405 Washington voters and says they cast 1,500 votes in earlier elections.
- Washington officials are reviewing a request to set aside future ballots while eligibility is checked.
- Hobbs says the request’s timing could cast unfounded suspicion on election results.
- A Nevada review found zero cases after the administration alleged 1,500 potential noncitizens were registered.