Secretary of State Steve Hobbs (inset) is disputing a federal voter list presented by Acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd (background) during an Oct. 26 press conference. (Photos: Washington Secretary of State’s Office; U.S. Department of Justice)
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs says a federal list of 405 people accused of registering and voting without U.S. citizenship includes American citizens and contains errors that could put eligible voters at risk. The announcement comes in response to an escalating dispute with the Trump administration less than a week before Election Day.
Hobbs said a preliminary review identified not only U.S. citizens on the list, but also people who were not currently registered to vote or had inactive registration status.
“The information you provided contains several glaring deficiencies. You provide no information about how the information was collected or what sources were used. Nor do you provide any backup documentation supporting your assertions. Given the Department of Justice’s recent acts of election interference in California, Alaska, and now in Washington, it would be particularly inappropriate for Washington to simply assume the Department’s unsupported allegations here are credible.”
— Steve Hobbs, Washington Secretary of State
The response follows an Oct. 26 announcement by federal prosecutors, who alleged that noncitizens registered and voted in Washington elections, casting more than 1,500 ballots combined. Acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd said the investigation uncovered evidence of illegal voting and warned that additional cases could emerge.
“For years Washington State has had a mantra: our elections are ‘free, fair, and devoid of fraud.’ We have identified over 400 non-citizens 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
Hobbs Says Federal List Contains Errors
Federal prosecutors asked Washington to set aside ballots while officials confirm their citizenship. Hobbs disputes the reliability of the information and says election officials cannot lawfully reject ballots based on an unverified list.
“Without individualized proof of ineligibility, it would be both irresponsible and illegal for election officials to decline to process a registered voter’s ballot.”
— Steve Hobbs, Washington Secretary of State
The secretary of state also criticized the format of the DOJ’s submission. Rather than providing an electronic spreadsheet, federal officials sent a PDF containing a printed spreadsheet, Hobbs said. The document omitted publicly available information, including voter identification numbers and addresses, making it difficult to match entries to individual voter registrations.
His office also identified duplicate entries. Hobbs said another error in the federal letter indicated the list was created in a “rushed manner.”
“The rushed manner is confirmed by your incorrect statement that the election is ‘November 2, 2026.’ Election Day — as you should well know — is November 3,” Hobbs said. “Basic factual errors like this are unacceptable and risk confusing voters.”
He criticized federal officials for raising the issue publicly on Oct. 26, after Washington had mailed ballots to active registered voters by Oct. 16.
Hobbs said his office regularly consults with federal officials in the months before elections and argued that any concerns about voter registrations should have been raised earlier, with evidence supplied directly to the state.
Federal Officials Say Investigation Found Illegal Voting
Federal prosecutors announced their findings at an Oct. 26 press conference, saying investigators identified 405 people they believe registered and voted in Washington elections despite being ineligible because they were not U.S. citizens.
The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for Western and Eastern Washington said the group cast more than 1,500 ballots across multiple elections.
Pete Serrano, first assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, said the federal government shared the information to protect eligible voters.
“Our purpose in sharing this data with the Secretary of State is to protect the sanctity of each citizen’s vote.”
— Pete Serrano, First Assistant U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Washington
Federal officials said many people on the list held lawful permanent resident status, commonly known as a green card. Permanent residents can live and work in the United States but generally cannot vote in federal, state or most local elections.
Prosecutors also said some permanent residents may have registered through Washington’s Motor Voter program without understanding that registration did not make them eligible to vote.
However, the federal announcement did not establish that every person on the list knowingly registered illegally or intentionally cast an ineligible ballot. Washington officials have not publicly confirmed the individual cases.
Hobbs said he is committed to ensuring that only eligible voters register in Washington but insists that allegations must be supported by evidence before officials take action against individual voters.
Hobbs Cites State and Federal Voting Protections
Washington law limits voter registration to U.S. citizens. It also provides procedures to challenge registrations and address cases involving ineligible voters.
The state registration form warns that knowingly providing false information is a class C felony. Voters also attest to their U.S. citizenship under penalty of perjury when signing ballot return envelopes.
Hobbs argues that rejecting ballots based on the DOJ list could violate federal law. He cited the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prohibits officials from willfully refusing to count a qualified voter’s ballot.
He also questioned whether the DOJ’s request complies with the National Voter Registration Act’s 90-day quiet period. That provision restricts certain systematic voter removal activities before federal elections. Hobbs said the DOJ letter did not establish that the list qualified for an exception.
The secretary of state also challenged the reliability of federal citizenship records. He said the DOJ provided insufficient information for Washington to verify the allegations independently.
“If the federal government possesses individualized proof that certain registered voters in Washington are ineligible, my office welcomes the opportunity to review that direct evidence.”
— Steve Hobbs, Washington Secretary of State
He urged federal officials to provide evidence and work with state election officials rather than divert their attention during the final days before the election.
Dispute Follows Concerns About Ballot Rejections
The dispute follows Hobbs’ earlier criticism of ballot processing problems during Washington’s August primary.
His office reported that election officials rejected just over 20,000 ballots for late postmarks. Those ballots represented about 1.9 million ballots returned in the August 2026 primary.
In the 2024 general election, officials rejected about 4,600 of the 4 million ballots returned for late postmarks, according to the office.
Hobbs cited the figures to emphasize the importance of protecting eligible voters’ ballots. The postmark issue is separate from the DOJ investigation and does not establish whether the federal list is accurate.
The dispute also reflects broader federal efforts to investigate alleged noncitizen voting. Hobbs referenced similar Justice Department actions in California and other states in his letter.
What the Dispute Means for Washington Voters
The dispute also raises questions about the consequences for lawful permanent residents accused of voting illegally.
As PNW Daily previously reported, Point Roberts resident Paige Adamson died Oct. 18 after federal agents detained and questioned her about allegations involving voter registration and voting. Adamson, a Canadian citizen and U.S. permanent resident, had an immigration hearing scheduled for November.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Western Washington said it had no involvement in Adamson’s case. It also said she did not appear on the list discussed at the Oct. 26 press conference.
“This office was not involved with any interaction with Ms. Adamson and to my knowledge she does not appear on the list we discussed at the press event.”
— Emily Langlie, Communications Director, U.S. Attorney’s Office for Western Washington
No public information links Adamson to the 405 people identified by federal prosecutors.
Hobbs said Washington election officials remain focused on administering the Nov. 3 election and protecting eligible voters’ rights.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
About the Author
