Iowa, naturalized citizens settle lawsuit over voter eligibility challenges

Agreement prevents state from relying solely on driver's license data to flag potential noncitizen voters

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Iowa's top election official and a group of naturalized U.S. citizens have settled a federal lawsuit that will prevent the state from relying exclusively on driver's license records to challenge voter eligibility in the three months before an election. The settlement comes after the state flagged about 2,000 registered voters as potential noncitizens ahead of the 2024 presidential election, even though all five individuals who sued were eligible to vote.

Why it matters

The case highlights ongoing concerns about voter suppression and the use of unreliable data to challenge the eligibility of naturalized citizens. It also underscores the importance of protecting the voting rights of all eligible citizens, including those who have gone through the naturalization process.

The details

Under the settlement, Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate agreed that the 2024 list of voters flagged as potential noncitizens cannot be used for any future ballot-related challenges or voter list maintenance efforts. In exchange, the naturalized citizens agreed to dismiss their claims. The state will now use the federal government's Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to verify voter citizenship, an approach that voting rights groups have previously raised concerns about.

  • In late October 2024, several naturalized U.S. citizens sued Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate.
  • The lawsuit was settled on February 11, 2026.

The players

Paul Pate

Iowa's Secretary of State, a Republican who directed election workers to challenge ballots from about 2,000 registered voters identified as potential noncitizens ahead of the 2024 election.

Rita Bettis Austen

The ACLU of Iowa's legal director, who saw the settlement as a win in ensuring state officials would not be making last-minute eligibility challenges based on unreliable data.

Brenna Bird

Iowa's Republican Attorney General, who called the outcome a victory, pointing out that the state is now using federal databases to verify Iowa's voter rolls.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The overwhelming majority of voters wrongly put on this list, including all our clients, are naturalized United States citizens who have the right to vote. We are hopeful today's settlement will safeguard Iowans from this happening again in future elections.”

— Rita Bettis Austen, ACLU of Iowa's legal director

“We are now using federal databases to verify Iowa's voter rolls.”

— Brenna Bird, Iowa's Republican Attorney General

What’s next

The settlement still needs to be accepted by a federal judge.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing challenges in ensuring the voting rights of naturalized citizens are protected, and the importance of using reliable data sources when verifying voter eligibility.