Iowa
Naturalized citizens sue Iowa officials for challenging 2,000 voters
Naturalized citizens have sued Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate and other election officials after he instructed them to challenge the ballots of over 2,000 voters.
Last week, Pate’s office said that it gave county auditors a list of 2,022 people who told the state’s Department of Transportation that they were not citizens but later registered to vote or voted.
Since those voters may have become naturalized citizens in the time between telling the Transportation Department that they were not citizens and participating in the U.S. election process, Pate’s office told county auditors to challenge their ballots and have them cast a provisional ballot instead.
The voters would have seven days to show proof of citizenship before their ballot is counted.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
ACLU Challenges Election Officials
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Iowa filed a lawsuit against Pate and five election auditors in federal court late Wednesday on behalf of four voters flagged by Pate as registered voters who might not be citizens and the League of United Latin American Citizens of Iowa (LULAC).
According to the complaint, the four voters are naturalized citizens, one of whom registered last year, a day after he became a citizen.
“Yet he was placed on the Secretary’s covert list and wrongfully subjected to investigation and an election challenge for following the law and exercising his right to vote,” the complaint states.
The lawsuit alleges that Iowa election officials are burdening the right to vote and discriminating against naturalized citizens. Officials are treating this group of voters differently from others in violation of their constitutional right to equal protection, the suit claims.
The suit asks for the Transportation Department list to be revoked and for voters on it to not be challenged on this basis.
Pate in a ‘Balancing’ Act
Pate told reporters Wednesday, before the lawsuit was filed, that the Transportation Department list is the “only list that we have available to us” without access to federal immigration records.
“We’re balancing this process. We want everyone to be able to vote. That’s why none of them have been taken off the voter rolls,” Pate said.
However, he added, “We do owe an obligation to make sure that they are citizens now.”
Republicans have made non-citizen voting a big issue ahead of the November 5 election. Despite it already being illegal for non-citizens to register to vote or to vote in federal elections, the Republican-led House voted to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act in July, which would require those registering to vote to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. The bill remains in the House.
While there is no evidence that non-citizen voting is occurring in significant numbers, Iowa and some other states have identified dozens of such cases.
‘We Will Defend Our Election Integrity’
Before the lawsuit was filed, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird said Wednesday that the U.S. Department of Justice “called the State in an attempt to pressure Iowa into letting noncitizens vote.”
“Every legal vote must count and not be canceled by an illegal vote,” she said. “In Iowa, we will defend our election integrity laws and protect the vote.”
A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment to the Associated Press (AP).
The AP also reached out to Pate and Bird on Thursday for comment on the lawsuit.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — TJ Williams scored nine of his 18 points in overtime to lead Wichita State over Northern Iowa 74-69 on Saturday night.
Williams added nine rebounds for the Shockers (6-4). Michael Gray Jr. had 15 points and Kenyon Giles scored 12, adding three steals. Gray made two free throws with 10 seconds left to force OT tied at 59.
Tristan Smith led the way for the Panthers (7-2) with 16 points. Will Hornseth added 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Trey Campbell had 14 points.
Wichita State entered halftime up 35-28. Dre Kindell paced the team in the first half with 10 points.
Copyright 2025 KCRG. All rights reserved.
Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger on facing top-ranked Purdue
Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger on facing top-ranked Purdue
Iowa State basketball guard Tamin Lipsey is expected to play and Dominick Nelson will be suited up for the Cyclones’ game against No. 1 Purdue on Saturday on Dec. 6, an Iowa State spokesperson said.
Both players are both fully participating in pregame warmups ahead of Saturday’s contest against the Boilermakers.
They each sustained groin injuries. Lipsey has missed three games since leaving in the closing minutes of the Cyclones’ 83-82 victory over St. John’s on Nov. 24. Nelson only missed one game and sat out for the Cyclones’ 132-68 win over Alcorn State on Dec. 3.
Through five games, Lipsey is averaging 18.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 3.2 steals per game, while shooting 50.7% overall.
Nelson has appeared in seven contests off the bench, averaging 7.4 points and 1.0 steals over 14.4 minutes per game.
Tip-off is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT. The game will be available on CBS.
Iowa State’s T.J. Otzelberger talks health of Tamin Lipsey, Dom Nelson
Iowa State’s T.J. Otzelberger talks health of Tamin Lipsey, Dom Nelson
This story has been updated with new information.
Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State wasted no time finding a replacement for Matt Campbell, hiring Washington State’s Jimmy Rogers as its football coach on Friday night.
The Cyclones moved quickly after Campbell left to take over for the fired James Franklin at Penn State on Friday. They agreed to a six-year deal with Rogers, who led Washington State to a 6-6 record in his lone season after a two-season run at South Dakota State that included an FCS championship.
“Jimmy Rogers is a rising star in college athletics who has very strong ties to the Midwest both as a player and as a coach,” Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard said in a statement. “He has been on my short list ever since the first time I met him. He immediately impressed me with his interest in Iowa State University and told me during our first visit several years ago that he wanted to be the next head coach at Iowa State.
“Since our initial meeting, I have stayed in close contact with him and have been very impressed with his work ethic and understanding of what it takes to be successful at Iowa State,” he added. “He is a proven winner who has demonstrated throughout his career that he will fit our culture.”
Rogers is 33-9 in three years as a head coach. He is one of four Washington State coaches to lead the Cougars to a bowl game in their first season.
“Iowa State has been one of the nation’s top programs for the last decade and we look forward to building upon its upward trajectory,” Rogers said. “I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity that Jamie Pollard has given me to lead the Cyclones.”
Rogers spent most of the past two decades as a player or on the staff at South Dakota State. He led the Jackrabbits to a 27-3 record in two seasons as head coach, including an FCS championship repeat in 2023 and a semifinal appearance in 2024.
A linebacker at South Dakota State from 2006 to 2009, Rogers was a graduate assistant there in 2010 and 2011 before spending a year at Florida Atlantic. He returned in 2013 as linebackers coach and eventually become defensive coordinator before taking over as head coach when longtime coach John Stiegelmeier retired after leading the Jackrabbits to their first national title.
He replaces Iowa State’s winningest coach. Campbell went 72-55 in 10 seasons.
Trevian Carson helps North Dakota State hold off Northern Arizona 69-68
AP top 25 poll: Indiana jumps Ohio State in Bowl Season college football rankings
Where Will Oklahoma Land on Sunday’s College Football Playoff Bracket Reveal?
How to Watch Oregon Ducks Women’s Basketball vs. UCLA Bruins
Causes revealed of two Saturday fires in Harrisburg
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Congress faces holiday crunch as health care fix collides with shrinking calendar
European Greens declare Usula von der Leyen`’s EPP enemy number one
National parks fee-free calendar drops MLK Day, Juneteenth and adds Trump’s birthday
Map: 7.0-Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Alaska
Hegseth hints major defense spending increase, reveals new details on Trump’s anti-narcoterrorism operations
-
Politics5 days agoTrump rips Somali community as federal agents reportedly eye Minnesota enforcement sweep
-
Ohio3 days agoWho do the Ohio State Buckeyes hire as the next offensive coordinator?
-
News5 days agoTrump threatens strikes on any country he claims makes drugs for US
-
World5 days agoHonduras election council member accuses colleague of ‘intimidation’
-
Texas1 day agoTexas Tech football vs BYU live updates, start time, TV channel for Big 12 title
-
Politics1 week agoRep. Swalwell’s suit alleges abuse of power, adds to scrutiny of Trump official’s mortgage probes
-
Alaska21 hours agoHowling Mat-Su winds leave thousands without power
-
Politics5 days agoTrump highlights comments by ‘Obama sycophant’ Eric Holder, continues pressing Senate GOP to nix filibuster