Washington Secretary of State Rejects DOJ Request on Flagged Voters

Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs declined a federal request to set aside ballots from 405 people the Justice Department says are noncitizens who voted illegally. In a letter Wednesday, he said many on the list are U.S. citizens, the Spokesman-Review reported.

On Monday, acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd of Western Washington and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Pete Serrano of Eastern Washington said they had found noncitizens on the voter rolls, according to KUOW, and asked that matching ballots be held back in the November election. The Spokesman-Review reported that Floyd said no one had been charged with illegal voting in state elections, and that the Justice Department said many on the list are lawful permanent residents, who cannot vote.

Hobbs wrote that the prosecutors gave no information on how the data was collected, and that many people on the list are unregistered or inactive. He said refusing ballots without individualized proof would be irresponsible and invited the prosecutors to provide it, per the Spokesman-Review. A Justice Department spokesperson said Floyd and Serrano would review the letter and decide next steps.