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The Trump administration has accused Washington state of having over 400 non-citizens registered to vote, just days before the midterm elections. The Department of Justice (DOJ) demanded on Monday (October 26) that Washington set aside ballots from these individuals, according to NBC News. Acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd stated, "We have identified over 400 non-citizens who are registered to vote and have voted in multiple elections."
The DOJ's request came after a similar demand was made in California, where the administration claimed there were 20,000 non-citizens on the voter rolls. The Washington Secretary of State's Office, led by Steve Hobbs, is reviewing the request. Hobbs emphasized the importance of protecting voter information and criticized the timing of the DOJ's request, noting it could cast "unfounded suspicion on the results."
Washington has more than 5 million registered voters, and the state issues mail ballots to all of them. The DOJ's list of suspected non-citizens includes individuals who have voted in prior elections, with some records dating back to 1994, as reported by the Washington Post.
The administration's efforts to challenge voter rolls have faced legal setbacks. In California, an appeals court ruled against the Trump administration's attempt to block ballots from being counted. Election experts have questioned the legal grounds of these actions, noting that federal law does not authorize the DOJ to intervene in election certification or ballot counting.
Despite the allegations, non-citizen voting is considered exceptionally rare. The DOJ has indicated plans to send additional lists of suspected non-citizens to Washington before Election Day. The state's officials have expressed concerns about the potential disenfranchisement of legitimate voters due to changes in U.S. Postal Service operations, as highlighted by the Associated Press.