Federal Judge Rules Iowa Can Challenge 2,176 Ballots from Potential Noncitizens

Nov 3, 2024, 11:10 PM

A federal judge has ruled that Iowa can continue challenging the validity of hundreds of ballots from potential noncitizens. The decision, made by Judge Stephen Locher, allows Iowa Secretary of State to scrutinize voter registrations of up to 2,176 individuals. This ruling follows a recent Supreme Court decision that narrowed the Secretary of State's position. Iowa officials, including Governor Kim Reynolds, have emphasized the importance of election integrity and ensuring that illegal votes do not cancel out legitimate ones. The challenge has raised concerns about the stonewalling of citizenship voter data by federal officials, as highlighted by Senator Joni Ernst. The judge also denied a temporary restraining order (TRO) that would have blocked local election officials from challenging these registrations.