DOJ demands Washington set aside ballots from alleged noncitizens on state roll

By Jacob Knutson

Prefer us on Google

to see more of our voting rights news coverage when you search.

Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs speaking in U.S. Capitol Building in February 2026 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Federal prosecutors ordered Washington state Monday to set aside ballots from over 400 people they alleged, without evidence, were noncitizens illegally registered to vote.

Sent just eight days before Election Day, the new demands mirror those the Department of Justice (DOJ) sent California election officials shortly before it sued the state to block it from counting tens of thousands of potential ballots.

Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs rejected the DOJ’s claims in an interview with FOX 13 in Seattle.

“The federal government, or president, can say whatever they want, but the bottom line is we have a constitutional right to run elections the way we see fit,” Hobbs said, adding that there have been only 15 documented instances of illegal voting in the state since 1982.

In a press conference, acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd alleged that the DOJ found “over 400 noncitizens who have voted in Washington, and many of them have voted multiple times.”

Floyd said the DOJ made the identifications “with high confidence,” though he did not disclose any evidence for his claims. 

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for additional details.