### Voters and Civil Rights Group Sue Iowa Election Official Over Voter Challenges

In Des Moines, Iowa, four voters and a Hispanic civil rights organization have filed a lawsuit against Iowa’s Secretary of State, Paul Pate, accusing him of infringing on their rights by instructing election workers to challenge certain voters' ballots. The legal challenge, brought to federal court by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Iowa, represents four individuals flagged by Pate's office as potentially noncitizen voters. According to the complaint, these individuals are naturalized U.S. citizens.

Pate's office had distributed a list to county auditors containing 2,022 names of individuals who, after indicating noncitizen status to the Department of Transportation, had either registered to vote or voted. Although these individuals may have since become naturalized citizens, Pate advised county election officials to require these voters to cast provisional ballots and provide proof of citizenship within seven days, extended by one additional day due to a federal holiday.

One of the plaintiffs, Orcun Selcuk, a political science professor who registered to vote the day after becoming a U.S. citizen last year, recently discovered that his early ballot was being challenged. Selcuk emphasized the significance of voting in a democracy, given his academic background.

The ACLU also represents the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) of Iowa in this legal action. Although noncitizen voting in federal elections is illegal, and while states like Iowa have identified rare instances of such activity, there is no evidence of it occurring on a large scale.

At a news conference preceding the lawsuit, Pate justified using the Department of Transportation list, citing a lack of access to federal immigration records. He stressed the importance of verifying voter eligibility while ensuring no one is removed from voter rolls unjustly. However, the ACLU contends that Pate’s actions discriminate against naturalized citizens, violating their constitutional right to equal protection.

Rita Bettis Austen, ACLU of Iowa's legal director, criticized Pate for what she described as an attempt to disenfranchise citizens and propagate a misleading narrative about voter fraud. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, on the other hand, defended the measures, accusing LULAC of trying to enable noncitizen voting.

The lawsuit requests that Pate’s list be rescinded and that the voters included not face challenges based on their citizenship status. As early voting progresses toward the November 5 election, the case highlights ongoing tensions and legal battles revolving around voter eligibility and election integrity in the United States.