County auditors working with registered voters following order from the Iowa Secretary of State regarding voter challenges

On November 2, 2024By Karl

BLACK HAWK COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) – County auditors in Iowa are sharing how their offices are communicating with registered voters after an audit by Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate found nearly 2,200 potential non-citizens registered to vote in Iowa.

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate said approximately 2,200 people were identified in the audit. Some voters who identify as non-citizens have already voted. Pate said he used Iowa Department of Transportation records to find noncitizens who voted. But a few days after that announcement, several County Supervisors said the names the Secretary of State had provided were legal U.S. citizens.

At a hearing in federal court on Friday, The federal government has confirmed that 250 names on Iowa’s voter rolls are non-citizens. However, he has not yet shared this list with Iowa officials.

Black Hawk County Auditor Grant Veeder is one of many Iowa auditors scrolling through a list the Secretary of State found containing the names of people who are allegedly not registered citizens to vote.

Veeder said his office sent letters to all 92 people on the “challenged voters” list in Black Hawk County. “16 of them returned their absentee ballots, and 9 of those 16 came to our office and presented us with proof of citizenship. So I want to make sure their votes count,” says Veeder.

Winneshiek County Auditor Questioned timing of Iowa Secretary of State’s orders objecting to ballots from a list of potential non-citizens.

Winneshiek County Auditor Benjamin Steinesa Republican, said his office has received orders for 9 registered voters, 3 of whom have already voted absentee. Steines said his office must comply with the Secretary of State’s orders and that he objected to those votes, demanding that voters prove their citizenship.

“I disagree with the processes and procedures currently being directed by the Secretary of State, particularly with regard to the timing and the introduction of this so close to the election,” Steines said in a written statement. “Current procedures create extra burdens for Naturalized Citizens and Electoral staff.”

KCRG-TV9 Political Analyst Megan Goldberg says it has historically been extremely rare for noncitizens to vote in U.S. elections. “The penalty if discovered is pretty significant, whether it’s a fine or possible jail time… it’s a huge risk,” Goldberg says.

Goldberg says the risk has triggered fears that this “controversial list” will lead to voter intimidation. “There may be a large number of people who are eligible to vote, but they may be, you know, newly naturalized citizens, or even if they are not, if they are first-generation citizens, they may be a little nervous about participating now. because, you know, it’s not necessarily, they just see the headlines and they’re worried that maybe they’re on that list,”

That’s why Veeder’s office is trying to contact registered voters before they go to the polls or decide not to vote. “I know the State Department has refused to contact voters on the list they sent out because of concerns about voter intimidation, and so we certainly hope no one is intimidated. We felt people would prefer to know that up front rather than at the ballot box,” says Veeder.