Trump administration asks Washington to set aside ballots from 400 suspected noncitizens

The Trump administration has requested Washington state to set aside ballots from more than 400 individuals suspected of registering to vote without U.S. citizenship, according to PBS NewsHour Politics.

In a letter to the Washington Secretary of State's Office, the Justice Department identified 1,500 votes cast by these individuals in prior elections and asked that any ballots they cast in the upcoming midterm be set aside until their eligibility is confirmed. Washington has over 5 million registered voters.

Acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd stated the ballots should be held until legal voter status is verified. Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs is reviewing the request and noted his office has received about 60 subpoenas from the Justice Department recently. Hobbs emphasized protecting voter information and responding only to requests that follow due process.

This effort is part of a broader administration attempt to identify noncitizen voters, despite such occurrences being exceptionally rare. President Trump has sought to cast doubt on election integrity. A similar request was made to California, which has challenged the Justice Department's demand in court, raising questions about timing and constitutional authority.

The Elections Clause grants state legislatures authority over election procedures, a point under scrutiny in ongoing legal challenges. Washington officials have expressed concern about potential harassment of voters amid these federal inquiries.