Iowa Noncitizen Voter Purge Program Challenge

Lawsuit filed by the League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa and four naturalized citizens against Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate (R) and five Iowa county auditors and election commissioners challenging the state’s voter purge program targeting alleged noncitizen voting. On Oct. 22, 2024, the secretary sent county election officials a list of 2,176 “suspected noncitizens” on the state’s voter rolls with instructions to challenge the suspected individuals’ right to vote and to keep the list secret. The plaintiffs claim the secretary’s list relies on out-of-date records from the Iowa Department of Transportation, and could include newly naturalized citizens. They argue the state’s voter purge program violates the First and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution and the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), including the NVRA’s 90-day “quiet period” — which prohibits removing registered voters from rolls within 90 days of an election. The plaintiffs ask the court to order the secretary to rescind his list of suspected voters and notify all county election commissioners that these voters cannot be challenged and that any voters removed as a result of the list must be restored to the state’s voter rolls before the November 2024 general election.

The plaintiffs filed their complaint on Oct. 30, 2024.

A hearing on a motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction in this case was held on Nov. 1, 2024.

STATUS: On Nov. 3, 2024, the judge denied a motion for a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction. These voters registrations’ will not be restored to the state’s voter rolls before the 2024 general election. They may be able to vote provisionally.

Last updated: November 4, 2024 9:10 am EST