Over 400 Noncitizens Registered to Vote in Washington State, DOJ Reports

Federal investigators have identified more than 400 noncitizens who were illegally registered to vote in Washington state, with some casting ballots in multiple elections dating back to 1984. The Department of Justice announced the findings Monday, noting that many individuals on the list are green card holders with legal immigration status and permanent residency.

"We have identified over 400 noncitizens who are registered to vote and have voted in multiple elections. This is only the tip of the iceberg," Neil Floyd, acting U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington, said in a statement. "We will continue to investigate and identify those who are committing crimes by voting illegally."

Investigators identified these individuals by reviewing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services records. Floyd stated that his office counted approximately 1,500 instances of noncitizens casting ballots, with some individuals voting as many as 27 times. The earliest confirmed instance of a noncitizen voting in Washington state dates to 1984.

Officials indicated that many green card holders were registered to vote without their knowledge through Washington’s Motor Voter program, which integrates voter registration with driver's license and state ID card applications. According to the Washington secretary of state's website, individuals are automatically registered to vote only if they provide proof of U.S. citizenship during the licensing process.

"We have heard from green card holders who were registered against their knowledge via the Washington Motor Voter program. Then they receive a ballot in the mail and assume they are legally registered — that simply is not the case," the DOJ notice stated.

Floyd emphasized that the identified list likely represents only a fraction of the total number of noncitizens potentially voting illegally in the state, estimating the actual number could be in the thousands. He noted that he had not checked whether any of the individuals voted in the upcoming midterm elections to avoid interfering with the current election.

Federal officials have asked Washington state to set aside ballots cast by the identified individuals until their citizenship status can be confirmed. "Washington is now on notice that noncitizens are voting. It is up to the state to take action to make sure that they are not allowing these noncitizens to vote illegally," the notice read.

The DOJ's action in Washington follows similar efforts in California, where the department has pursued legal action against Los Angeles County regarding approximately 20,000 mail-in ballots sent to individuals whose citizenship status is questionable.

Voting as a noncitizen can have severe consequences for those seeking U.S. citizenship, potentially leading to charges for making false statements on naturalization applications and fraudulent voter registration. The Department of Homeland Security also reported that numerous noncitizens have admitted to unlawfully registering to vote or casting ballots in U.S. elections nationwide, with dozens arrested and at least 18 of them having voted in a federal election.