Iowa, naturalized citizens settle lawsuit over voter eligibility challenges ahead of 2024 election

Agreement prevents state from relying solely on driver's license records to flag potential non-citizens in months before an election

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Iowa's top election official and a group of naturalized U.S. citizens the state had flagged as potential non-citizens just ahead of the 2024 presidential election settled a federal lawsuit that will prevent the state from relying exclusively on driver's license records for citizenship data in the three months before an election.

Why it matters

The case highlights concerns about potential voter suppression efforts targeting naturalized citizens, as well as the challenges states face in verifying voter eligibility without access to comprehensive federal immigration records.

The details

Several naturalized U.S. citizens initially sued Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate in late October 2024, alleging he infringed on their rights to vote when he directed election workers to challenge ballots from about 2,000 registered voters the state had identified as possible non-citizens. All five individuals were eligible to vote but had been included on the list.

  • In late October 2024, several naturalized U.S. citizens sued Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate.
  • On Wednesday, the two parties settled the federal lawsuit.

The players

Paul Pate

Iowa Secretary of State and a Republican.

Rita Bettis Austen

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

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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.”

— Rita Bettis Austen, ACLU of Iowa's legal director (Associated Press)

“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 (Associated Press)

What’s next

The settlement, signed by both parties, was filed in court on Wednesday but had not yet been accepted by a federal judge.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing challenges states face in verifying voter eligibility, balancing the need to maintain accurate voter rolls with protecting the voting rights of naturalized citizens. The settlement represents a compromise that aims to prevent future last-minute eligibility challenges based on unreliable data.