Federal Judge Allows Iowa Officials to Continue Investigating Potential Noncitizen Voters Less Than Two Days Before Election

Judge Stephen Locher Upholds Iowa’s Right to Challenge Voter Rolls

A federal judge, Stephen Locher, an appointee of President Biden, has allowed Iowa officials to continue their investigation into potential noncitizen voters in the state, as the upcoming election looms close. Judge Locher ruled in favor of Hawkeye State on Sunday, enabling Iowa to challenge over 2,000 names on voter rolls that might belong to noncitizens.

ACLU Challenges Iowa’s Actions

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) had filed a lawsuit on behalf of four U.S. citizens and the League of Latin American Citizens of Iowa, arguing that the state’s efforts threaten the voting rights of recently-naturalized citizens. The ACLU maintained that Iowa officials intended to remove these individuals from voting rolls, which violated their constitutional rights.

No Removal of Voters, Only Provisional Ballots

However, Judge Locher found that Iowa officials would not remove anyone from the voting rolls. Instead, they would require potential noncitizens to use provisional ballots. This approach aims to ensure that the states’ obligations are met while allowing newly naturalized citizens the opportunity to verify their citizenship status.

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate Asserts Need to Investigate

Secretary of State Paul Pate stated that Iowa officials question the voting habits of the 2,400 names on voter rolls that could belong to noncitizens. On October 30, Pate elaborated, "[They] have questions about noncitizens voting illegally, and we need answers."

Moreover, he asserted that none of these individuals have been removed from the voter rolls. "But we do owe an obligation to make sure that they are citizens now," Pate declared. County auditors are now required to challenge these votes, accepting provisional ballots to confirm citizenship status.

ACLU’s No Immediate Response

Despite the ruling, the ACLU has yet to respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the case.

The Trump Campaign Reacts

In parallel developments, the Trump campaign reacted swiftly by calling into question the trustworthiness of poll results, favoring Emerson College’s polls instead.

Call to Action

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Stay tuned for more updates as the election nears. Keep voting, and stay informed!