"If the state of Washington knowingly or unknowingly allows a non-citizen to vote, they are canceling out or stealing the vote of the United States citizen."
minute read
The Justice Department announced Monday that federal investigators have identified 405 non-citizens who voted illegally in Washington state, with many casting ballots in multiple elections, and warned that potentially thousands more could be voting illegally as the state fights federal demands for its complete voter registration database.
Acting US Attorney Neil Floyd said investigators identified more than 1,500 ballots cast by the individuals. Federal prosecutors have asked Washington election officials to set aside ballots submitted by those on the list until their eligibility can be confirmed.
“We have identified over 400 non-citizens who had voted in Washington, and many of them have voted multiple times. That means we have identified over 1500 ballots illegally cast,” Floyd said.
“This is not the full number of non-citizens who have been voting in Washington. This is only the tip of the iceberg. With a small sample that we have collected so far, we are confident that we are looking at thousands of non-citizens who have been voting in Washington.”
Floyd accused Washington officials of obstructing efforts to determine the full extent of illegal voting by withholding the complete voter database with identifying information. “Washington has refused to share the complete list of registered voters with identifying information,” he said. “Unfortunately, Washington is fighting in court to keep us from getting access to the full database. We may never know the full extent of illegal voting in this state without access to the full database of registered voters.”
Washington makes a public voter registration database extract available, but that differs from the complete, unredacted records sought by federal investigators.
The US Attorney’s Offices for Washington’s Western and Eastern districts said they were providing state election officials with information about the identified individuals and requesting that their mail ballots be segregated pending confirmation of citizenship. “Now that the state is on notice, it is incumbent upon state officials to make sure they are counting only legal votes,” Floyd said.
According to the federal announcement, many of those identified are lawful permanent residents, commonly known as green card holders. Their legal immigration status allows them to live in the United States but does not make them citizens or eligible to vote in Washington elections.
Prosecutors said investigators heard from green card holders who reported being registered without their knowledge through Washington’s Motor Voter program. Some subsequently received ballots and assumed that meant they were eligible to vote.
The announcement warned that receiving a ballot does not establish eligibility and urged non-citizens who are registered to contact the Secretary of State’s Office to cancel their registrations.
First Assistant US Attorney Pete Serrano, of the Eastern District of Washington, said the purpose of providing the information was to protect eligible voters. “Free and fair elections should be the concern of every United States citizen. Our purpose in sharing this data with the Secretary of State is to protect the sanctity of each citizen’s vote,” Serrano said.
The federal offices said the head of DOJ’s Civil Rights Division notified Washington’s secretary of state in July that the department was examining whether non-citizens were registered.
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, Attorney General Nick Brown and Governor Bob Ferguson have previously defended Washington’s all-vote-by-mail election system and are fighting in court to keep voter rolls from the federal government.
Floyd said during the presser that state officials frequently hide behind the Keeping Washington Working Act, the bill signed by former Governor Jay Inslee that designated Washington a so-called “sanctuary state.”
Federal prosecutors also warned that knowingly submitting false citizenship claims on voter registration applications or lying about voting history during the naturalization process can lead to criminal charges. According to the release, potential felony charges for fraudulent voter registration and false statements in naturalization applications carry maximum penalties of five years in federal prison.
Floyd noted, "If the state of Washington knowingly or unknowingly allows a non-citizen to vote, they are canceling out or stealing the vote of the United States citizen."
Floyd said investigators would continue pursuing illegal voting and anyone who knowingly facilitates it.
“If you are not a United States citizen and you register to vote, and you vote illegally, we will find you. We will continue to investigate, and we will criminally prosecute those who vote illegally and those who assist others in voting illegally.”
Acting US Attorney Neil Floyd said investigators identified more than 1,500 ballots cast by the individuals. Federal prosecutors have asked Washington election officials to set aside ballots submitted by those on the list until their eligibility can be confirmed.
“We have identified over 400 non-citizens who had voted in Washington, and many of them have voted multiple times. That means we have identified over 1500 ballots illegally cast,” Floyd said.
“This is not the full number of non-citizens who have been voting in Washington. This is only the tip of the iceberg. With a small sample that we have collected so far, we are confident that we are looking at thousands of non-citizens who have been voting in Washington.”
Floyd accused Washington officials of obstructing efforts to determine the full extent of illegal voting by withholding the complete voter database with identifying information. “Washington has refused to share the complete list of registered voters with identifying information,” he said. “Unfortunately, Washington is fighting in court to keep us from getting access to the full database. We may never know the full extent of illegal voting in this state without access to the full database of registered voters.”
Washington makes a public voter registration database extract available, but that differs from the complete, unredacted records sought by federal investigators.
The US Attorney’s Offices for Washington’s Western and Eastern districts said they were providing state election officials with information about the identified individuals and requesting that their mail ballots be segregated pending confirmation of citizenship. “Now that the state is on notice, it is incumbent upon state officials to make sure they are counting only legal votes,” Floyd said.
According to the federal announcement, many of those identified are lawful permanent residents, commonly known as green card holders. Their legal immigration status allows them to live in the United States but does not make them citizens or eligible to vote in Washington elections.
Prosecutors said investigators heard from green card holders who reported being registered without their knowledge through Washington’s Motor Voter program. Some subsequently received ballots and assumed that meant they were eligible to vote.
The announcement warned that receiving a ballot does not establish eligibility and urged non-citizens who are registered to contact the Secretary of State’s Office to cancel their registrations.
First Assistant US Attorney Pete Serrano, of the Eastern District of Washington, said the purpose of providing the information was to protect eligible voters. “Free and fair elections should be the concern of every United States citizen. Our purpose in sharing this data with the Secretary of State is to protect the sanctity of each citizen’s vote,” Serrano said.
The federal offices said the head of DOJ’s Civil Rights Division notified Washington’s secretary of state in July that the department was examining whether non-citizens were registered.
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs, Attorney General Nick Brown and Governor Bob Ferguson have previously defended Washington’s all-vote-by-mail election system and are fighting in court to keep voter rolls from the federal government.
Floyd said during the presser that state officials frequently hide behind the Keeping Washington Working Act, the bill signed by former Governor Jay Inslee that designated Washington a so-called “sanctuary state.”
Federal prosecutors also warned that knowingly submitting false citizenship claims on voter registration applications or lying about voting history during the naturalization process can lead to criminal charges. According to the release, potential felony charges for fraudulent voter registration and false statements in naturalization applications carry maximum penalties of five years in federal prison.
Floyd noted, "If the state of Washington knowingly or unknowingly allows a non-citizen to vote, they are canceling out or stealing the vote of the United States citizen."
Floyd said investigators would continue pursuing illegal voting and anyone who knowingly facilitates it.
“If you are not a United States citizen and you register to vote, and you vote illegally, we will find you. We will continue to investigate, and we will criminally prosecute those who vote illegally and those who assist others in voting illegally.”
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