Iowa Officials Challenge Voting Rights Ahead of Election

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate has instructed county auditors to challenge the ballots of over 2,000 registered voters whom his office claims may not be U.S. citizens, despite many possibly having become naturalized since reporting non-citizen status years ago. This controversial directive, sent just two weeks before the election, has sparked a federal lawsuit from naturalized citizens and civil rights groups, who argue it violates their constitutional rights by imposing undue burdens on their ability to vote. The ACLU of Iowa and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) contend that the list is outdated and could prevent eligible voters from participating in the election. Pate defends his actions by stating they are necessary for election integrity, although he admits the data is flawed and has sought more accurate information from federal agencies. Voters challenged at the polls will need to provide proof of citizenship to cast a normal ballot; otherwise, they must submit a provisional ballot and verify their status by November 12. The situation has drawn scrutiny, with the U.S. Department of Justice reportedly inquiring about the directive's legality.