The state of Virginia is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to allow it to remove approximately 1,600 non-citizen voters from its rolls. This request follows a series of legal setbacks for the state’s efforts to purge these voters.
The controversy began in August when Governor Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order requiring daily checks of Department of Motor Vehicles data against voter rolls to identify potential non-citizens. Those identified were notified and given two weeks to prove their citizenship or risk being removed.
RELATED: Federal Judge Orders Reinstatement Of Over 1,600 Non-Citizen Voter Registrations In Virginia
However, a federal judge ruled that this program violated federal law by purging voters during the 90-day “quiet period” before elections. This period is designed to prevent legitimate voters from being mistakenly removed close to an election.
The Justice Department and private groups sued to block Youngkin’s program, arguing that it disenfranchises eligible voters. A federal appeals court upheld the judge’s order, stating that Virginia’s process failed to establish proof of non-citizenship for those purged.
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Virginia officials maintain they are simply upholding state law by canceling non-citizen registrations. They argue that the lower court rulings are disruptive and could lead to non-citizens voting illegally.
The Supreme Court is now being asked to weigh in on this dispute, which raises important questions about voter eligibility, election integrity, and the balance between state and federal authority in managing elections. The Court’s decision could have significant implications for voter rolls in Virginia and potentially nationwide.
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