Pro-voting organizations filed an emergency motion on Monday seeking a court order to stop the Trump administration from pressuring Washington state election officials to set aside ballots. The legal challenge, brought by OneAmerica Votes, the Latino Community Fund of Washington, and the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, targets an administration directive that demands officials segregate ballots from 405 individuals flagged as potential noncitizens. As Democracy Docket reported, the plaintiffs are calling for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to halt what they describe as an unlawful attempt to interfere with state-run elections.
Trump Administration Orders Segregation of Contested Ballots
The Trump administration’s October 26 letters to Washington officials ordered the segregation of ballots cast by 405 people, claiming these individuals may be ineligible to vote. These demands mirror similar actions taken in California, where the administration has also pushed for the exclusion of ballots based on unsubstantiated claims of noncitizen registration. Under the U.S. Constitution, the administration of elections remains a core function of state governments, a principle the plaintiffs argue the federal government is now attempting to override.
In their filing, the pro-voting groups stated, “The Executive Branch enjoys zero authority to superintend state voter-list maintenance, to supplant state determinations of who is qualified to vote, or to dictate whose ballot gets tossed aside.” The lawsuit, which names President Donald Trump, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as defendants, contends that the federal government lacks the legal standing to intervene in the verification of voter eligibility.
The constitutional rights of Washington voters hang in the balance. This Court must act immediately to protect Washington voters from this unlawful intrusion.
Washington Authorities Find Federal Noncitizen List Flawed
The federal government’s list of alleged noncitizens has faced immediate scrutiny from local election officials. A preliminary review by Washington authorities found that the DOJ’s list—which is being used to threaten local workers with potential prosecution—is factually flawed. The state’s analysis revealed that the list incorrectly identifies several categories of people as illegal voters, including verified U.S. citizens, individuals who are currently inactive, and people who are not registered to vote at all.
The administration’s push is part of a wider campaign that President Trump has termed an effort to “take over the voting.” By threatening criminal sanctions against election workers who refuse to comply, the DOJ is attempting to force compliance with demands that state officials argue have no basis in law. Many states, including Washington, have historically refused to surrender control over their voter databases to the federal government, maintaining that such oversight is a sovereign prerogative reserved for the states.
Midterm Voting Uncertainty Rises from Federal Demands
With midterm voting already underway, the timing of these federal demands has introduced significant uncertainty for election administrators and voters alike. The lawsuit argues that the DOJ is resorting to desperate tactics to disrupt the democratic process just days before the conclusion of the election.
The legal challenge is being led by the Elias Law Group, which has long monitored federal attempts to alter state-level election procedures. As the court considers the emergency motion, the fundamental question remains whether the federal government possesses the authority to mandate the segregation of ballots based on lists that have already been identified as containing significant administrative errors.
