Politics
Federal prosecutors seek action on 400-plus Washington voter registrations before midterms
The Justice Department is asking Washington election officials to set aside ballots tied to more than 400 people it alleges are noncitizens improperly registered to vote. The request came days before the midterm election, and the allegations have not been established in the information provided.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Justice is demanding that Washington election officials set aside ballots associated with more than 400 people the department says are noncitizens illegally registered to vote, a request made days before the 2026 midterm election.
Acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd announced the push at a Monday news conference, joined by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Pete Serrano and Acting Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge April Miller. Federal officials are seeking the state’s cooperation, according to the announcement.
The request concerns people the department alleges are ineligible; the information released does not establish that the individuals cast ballots unlawfully. The announcement also did not specify how Washington officials would review the cases or what process would be used to set ballots aside.
With the election approaching, the demand puts pressure on state and local election administrators to assess federal claims while safeguarding eligible voters’ ballots and the integrity of the count.