Key facts
- The Trump administration asked Washington state to set aside ballots from over 400 individuals suspected of being noncitizen voters.
- The Justice Department identified 1,500 votes cast by these individuals in prior elections.
- Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs is reviewing the request and noted the data included voting history dating back to 1994.
- The request follows similar demands made by the administration in California and Alaska.
- California officials view the appellate court's decision to send the DOJ's request back to a lower court as a victory for voting rights.
The Trump administration is seeking to have ballots set aside from individuals it suspects are not U.S. citizens, in an effort to cast doubt on election integrity. The Justice Department sent a letter to Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs requesting that any ballots cast by over 400 people, alleged to have voted in prior elections without citizenship, be set aside until their eligibility is confirmed. This action follows a similar demand made in California and a lawsuit filed in Alaska, all occurring shortly before the midterm elections.