(Radio Iowa) – Secretary of State Paul Pate is being sued for directing election workers to challenge the ballots of over two-thousand people who he says got a driver’s license when they were legal residents, but may not be U-S citizens. The lawsuit has been filed in federal court on behalf of the League of United Latin American Citizens and a group of naturalized citizens. Orcun Selcuckor, a political science professor at Luther College in Decorah, is a native of Turkey. He became a U-S citizen in 2023 and then voted in two previous Iowa elections.

Selcuckor says he’s concerned about other Iowans who are new citizens and may not have the time to return to the county auditor’s office and prove they are citizens, as he did — or may be discouraged from voting altogether. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird says she’ll defend the effort to ensure non-citizens do not vote.

The lawsuit alleges the secretary of state’s order discriminates against voters based on their natural origin and their status as naturalized citizens and violates a person’s constitutional right to vote. Secretary of State Pate says none of the people on his list are barred from voting since their voter registration has not been revoked and they will be able to vote if they show proof of citizenship.