Story perspectives

Justice Department Orders Washington to Set Aside 400 Ballots

By Drooid · Oct 27, 2026, 3:05 AM UTC · How we work

Center

DOJ overestimates fraud

On Monday, the Justice Department asked Washington state to set aside ballots from more than 400 suspected non-citizen voters ahead of the midterm election.
The Justice Department’s claim contrasts with investigations in Nevada and Arizona uncovered zero or only a handful of alleged non-citizen voters, below its estimates.
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said his office will act only on due-process requests.

Left

Late Election Request

The Justice Department ordered Washington state to set aside ballots from more than 400 alleged non-citizen voters.
The late, evidence-less request, issued eight days before the Nov 3 election, fuels concerns about voter disenfranchisement and federal overreach.
Secretary of State Steve Hobbs noted only 15 non-citizen voting cases in Washington since 1982.
President Donald Trump named Floyd and Pete Serrano as officials who have not been Senate-confirmed.

Blindspot

Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said his office has documented only 15 cases of illegal non-citizen voting in the state since 1982.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Left-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

The 2004 Arizona voter-fraud controversy erupted when the Department of Justice claimed thousands of illegal non-citizen ballots. The DOJ cited roughly 1,000 suspect votes, yet a state audit uncovered only 31 irregularities, a 96.9% drop. In 2024 the Justice Department similarly ordered Washington to set aside more than 400 ballots, prompting Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and Trump-appointed officials Floyd and Pete Serrano to contest the request. These recurring federal interventions risk undermining voter confidence and may trigger court battles that reshape election administration across the United States.

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DOJ overestimates fraud

On Monday, the Justice Department asked Washington state to set aside ballots from more than 400 suspected non-citizen voters ahead of the midterm election.
The Justice Department’s claim contrasts with investigations in Nevada and Arizona uncovered zero or only a handful of alleged non-citizen voters, below its estimates.
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said his office will act only on due-process requests.

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