Applaud Washington State for Defending Voters' Rights

Washington State is standing up to the Trump administration and refusing to let unreliable federal data put eligible voters' ballots at risk! Secretary of State Steve Hobbs has rejected the Justice Department's demand to set aside ballots from hundreds of supposedly ineligible voters after a preliminary investigation revealed that the government's list includes American citizens, inactive voters, and people who aren't even registered to vote.

The Justice Department had given Washington just 24 hours to review a list of more than 400 alleged noncitizen voters, demanding that election officials withhold their ballots until their citizenship could be verified. But Hobbs and his team quickly uncovered serious problems with the data. Many individuals flagged by the federal government were actually U.S. citizens, while others were not currently registered or had inactive registrations. Hobbs warned that complying with the administration's demands could wrongfully disenfranchise eligible voters.

Hobbs also called out the Justice Department for providing incomplete and poorly documented information. Federal officials failed to explain how the list was compiled, omitted important identifying information, and even included duplicate entries. Their letter also incorrectly identified Election Day as November 2 instead of November 3. Rather than accept these questionable allegations, Hobbs made clear that Washington would continue following established election procedures and would not withhold registered voters' ballots without individualized evidence of ineligibility.

With the midterm elections just days away, Washington's refusal to comply with the administration's demands represents an important stand for voting rights and election integrity. Hobbs emphasized that federal law protects eligible voters from having their ballots rejected without sufficient justification, and he invited the Justice Department to provide actual evidence if it believes someone is ineligible. By insisting on proof instead of allegations, Washington officials are working to ensure that every eligible voter can participate in our democracy without fear of being wrongly disenfranchised.

Add your name to applaud Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and Washington election officials for rejecting Trump's flawed voter list, standing up against federal election interference, and fighting to protect every eligible voter's right to have their ballot counted!