Virginia can purge over 1,600 voter registrations before the upcoming election, as permitted by a recent Supreme Court decision.
Breitbart reported that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Virginia is allowed to remove more than 1,600 voter registrations ahead of next week's general election. This decision reverses a previous court injunction that had halted the registration removals due to the proximity to the election.
The ruling, decided by a 6-3 vote, supports the removals claimed by state officials to be necessary to clear noncitizens from the rolls.
The dissenting opinions were from the court's three liberal justices: Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan, and Sonia Sotomayor who raised concerns about the timing and potential impact of the purge.
Governor Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, a Republican, lauded the Supreme Court's decision. He described it as a "victory for common sense and election fairness," emphasizing that maintaining clean voter rolls is crucial for fair elections. Youngkin remarked that this ensures "elections are fair, secure and free from politically-motivated interference."
However, the purge has directed Virginia’s attorney general’s office to begin criminal investigations into those removed from the voter rolls, a move some say could disenfranchise eligible voters, including both naturalized and natural-born U.S. citizens.
Critics argue it violates the National Voter Registration Act, specifically its quiet period rule that prohibits such actions within 90 days of an election.
Those opposing the purge argue it was executed against federal law, suggesting it disenfranchises eligible voters.
Two lower courts had previously decided against Governor Youngkin's purge for this reason, citing a violation of the National Voter Registration Act that safeguards voters against purge within this quiet window.
Monica Sarmiento, the executive director of the Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights, expressed significant concern. The organization, which filed the initial lawsuit against the voter purge, criticized the effort for potentially stripping lawful U.S. citizens of their voting rights "both natural born and naturalized citizens," highlighting the gravity of such an occurrence.
In light of these events, the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia voiced its outrage over the Supreme Court’s decision, emphasizing that voter rights should not be undermined by political maneuvers.
They have urged voters affected by the purge to verify their registration status, register via same-day registration if possible, and cast a provisional ballot to ensure their voice is heard.
This incident is not isolated. A similar situation has unfolded in Alabama where a federal judge recently ordered a pause to a voter purge that aimed to remove over 3,000 voters from its rolls. This suggests a broader pattern of voter purges close to elections, a tactic that has been increasingly adopted by conservative elements in several states.
Civil rights advocates are especially concerned about the broader implications of such decisions, particularly as they relate to the counting of ballots in the upcoming November 5 general election.
For Virginia, this Supreme Court approval not only transforms the immediate landscape of voter registration integrity but also sets a significant precedent for other states contemplating similar approaches to managing their voter rolls.
In conclusion, this ruling underlines ongoing debates around voter registration accuracy against the backdrop of ensuring that eligible citizens can vote.
It reflects a complex balancing act between preventing fraud and ensuring every eligible voter can participate in the democratic process, a core tenet that continues to challenge the nation's judiciary and political spectrum.