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DOJ Sues Virginia Over Removal of Non-Citizens from Voter Rolls Before Election

Oct 11, 2024, 10:12 PM

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against the state of Virginia, alleging that it violated the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) by systematically removing voters from its rolls within 90 days of a federal election. The DOJ contends that Virginia's actions, which include Governor Glenn Youngkin's August executive order mandating daily updates to eliminate alleged non-citizens from voter rolls, contravene the NVRA's prohibition on such purges close to an election. The lawsuit claims that as many as 6,303 voters may have been affected. This legal action follows a similar DOJ lawsuit against Alabama. Governor Youngkin defends the state's actions as appropriate enforcement of a 2006 law aimed at removing non-citizens from the voter rolls. The issue has sparked debate, with some accusing the Biden administration of undermining election integrity, while others, such as Representative Gerry Connolly, support the DOJ's move, asserting that the purges have unlawfully removed thousands of eligible voters.