DOJ asks Washington to segregate ballots from 405 suspected noncitizens

The Justice Department has asked Washington state election officials to set aside ballots from 405 registered voters whom federal authorities allege may not be U.S. citizens while their eligibility is reviewed.

In a letter sent Monday to Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, federal prosecutors said Department of Homeland Security data identified the voters as suspected noncitizens. Prosecutors alleged that people on the list had cast more than 1,500 ballots in previous elections, including some as recently as the August primaries. Acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd said many may be lawful permanent residents, who are not eligible to vote in federal elections.

The department gave Hobbs until Wednesday to review the names and prevent any ballots from those voters from being counted until their citizenship is confirmed. Prosecutors said they could seek emergency court intervention if the state does not comply. They also said DHS was preparing another list.

Hobbs said his office was reviewing the request but questioned the data’s accuracy and timing. His office said the list included several people whose most recent recorded votes were in the 1990s, including one in 1994.

“We take our responsibility to protect voter information seriously and will only respond to requests that follow due process,” Hobbs said. He argued that the request, arriving one week before the general election, was intended to cast suspicion on the results.