Trump Administration Seeks to Disenfranchise Over 400 Washington State Voters
The Trump administration has asked Washington state to set aside ballots from more than 400 individuals it alleges are registered to vote without US citizenship. The move is the latest attempt by the administration to challenge states with competitive midterm races that could determine control of Congress.
According to a letter sent to Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, the Justice Department claims that 1,500 votes cast by more than 400 people in prior elections were potentially cast by noncitizens. The department is asking the state to hold onto any ballots from these individuals until their citizenship can be confirmed.
The list of suspected noncitizens was compiled based on "recent contacts" with federal officers, who are now routinely checking to see if the people they interact with are registered to vote. However, the state has noted that the data shared by the department includes information from an unspecified time period, and that proving someone illegally voted would be difficult without access to state records.
Hobbs has stated that he is reviewing the Justice Department's request, and that the timing of the request - just one week before the general election - is "no doubt intended to cast unfounded suspicion on the results." The state has over 5 million registered voters, and issues mail ballots to all of them.
This is the third time this month that the Justice Department has brought a direct state challenge as voting is under way. The effort is part of a broader push by the administration to identify noncitizen voters, despite evidence that voter fraud is extremely rare.
