The Trump administration has asked Washington state officials to set aside any ballots received from more than 400 individuals it alleges are registered to vote without U.S. citizenship. The move comes less than two weeks after the administration issued a similar demand in California, targeting states holding competitive midterm races that could decide control of Congress.
In a letter sent Monday to Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, the U.S. Department of Justice stated it had identified approximately 1,500 votes cast by over 400 people in previous elections. The department requested that the state segregate any ballots these individuals might cast in the upcoming midterm elections next month.
The federal agency also indicated it plans to provide Washington with an additional list of suspected noncitizen registrants prior to election day. Furthermore, the Justice Department acknowledged that some individuals on the list of suspected noncitizen registrations may have acquired U.S. citizenship since registering.
