Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate held a news conference in Johnston to discuss election security efforts and his recent order for local officials to challenge the ballots of over 2,000 individuals whose citizenship status is unclear. This order was met with a statement from Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, who revealed that the federal justice department contacted an unnamed Iowa state official regarding Pate’s directive. Pate’s list of 2,022 individuals consists of legal residents who were not U.S. citizens at one point and later attempted to register to vote or voted. These individuals are required to cast provisional ballots and provide proof of citizenship within a specified time frame. Registering or voting without full U.S. citizenship is a felony under Iowa law.
Pate’s directive has raised questions about the timing of the order, which was issued close to the election. Linn County Auditor Joel Miller questioned the validity of the list and the process for challenging voter citizenship. Pate defended his decision, citing the federal government’s refusal to share citizenship data as the reason for the challenge. Despite criticisms, Pate emphasized the importance of election integrity and transparency. The U.S. Department of Justice’s involvement in the matter is under scrutiny, with allegations of attempting to pressure Iowa into allowing noncitizens to vote. Pate’s order does not remove individuals from the voter registration list, and efforts to verify citizenship status are ongoing.
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