Official announcements from Iowa Secretary of State office

Judge Denies ACLU Request, Allows Iowa to Challenge Over 2,000 Ballots from Potential Noncitizens Ahead of Election

Nov 4, 2024, 12:08 AM

Just days before the November 5 election, federal judge Stephen Locher, a Biden appointee, denied a request for a temporary restraining order, allowing Iowa to proceed with challenging the validity of ballots from more than 2,176 potential noncitizens. The ACLU had sued Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate after he ordered county auditors to challenge these ballots based on citizenship status, citing a recent Supreme Court decision. Critics argue that the effort threatens the voting rights of naturalized U.S. citizens, as some of those challenged are citizens. Judge Locher emphasized that the order does not remove anyone from voter rolls or prevent eligible voters from casting their ballots.