The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Virginia for its attempts to purge voter rolls within 90 days of an election, which is considered a violation of federal voting laws. This action came following Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin’s executive order requiring daily updates to the voter list to remove identified “noncitizens.” The DOJ argues that some individuals identified as noncitizens are actually U.S. citizens, leading to the unnecessary cancellation of voter registrations. Youngkin dismissed the lawsuit as politically motivated and an attack on the election’s legitimacy.
The lawsuit is the second in the past month against a state for alleged violations of the National Voter Registration Act’s provision prohibiting systematic removals of voters so close to a federal election. Virginia, known for its Democratic voting trend, is currently facing a Senate race between incumbent Sen. Tim Kaine and Republican nominee Hung Cao. The Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights has also filed a lawsuit against Youngkin, claiming the voter purge process was illegal and discriminatory.
Monica Sarmiento, the executive director of the organization, welcomed the DOJ’s lawsuit, stating that Youngkin’s executive order had disenfranchised eligible voters. The lawsuit highlights the ongoing battle over voter rights and the efforts by some states to implement controversial voter purge programs. The outcome of the lawsuit will have significant implications for the upcoming elections in Virginia and the broader debate on voting rights across the country.
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