Judge demands DOJ stop pressuring Washington state election officials

A federal judge this week ordered the Trump administration to refrain from pressuring Washington state election officials who refuse to set aside ballots cast by suspected non-citizens.The Trump DOJ has asked several states to refrain from counting ballots from people it believes are ineligible to vote until their citizenship can be verified. But the matter has led to multiple suits and several setbacks, such as U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead’s ruling.
The judge imposed the temporary stay on the DOJ from threatening election officials who do not follow their directive with prosecution, Politico reported.
“For the next two weeks, while Washington’s counties count and certify the ballots already cast, DOJ may not demand that election officials set aside a registered voter’s ballot because the voter’s name appears on a federal list and may not threaten those officials with prosecution for counting votes as state law requires,” the judge said in the order.
In California, meanwhile, the Trump administration has faced similar legal headwinds.
Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.

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