The U.S. Division of Justice is suing Virginia, alleging that the commonwealth eliminated noncitizens from its voter rolls too near Election Day.
The grievance alleges that the state Board of Elections and Virginia Commissioner of Elections Susan Beals violated the federal Nationwide Voter Registration Act (NVRA), which mandates that states should full their upkeep program no later than 90 days earlier than an election below a clause referred to as the Quiet Interval Provision.
The company alleges that Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin violated the NVRA when saying and subsequently finishing up an govt order which required the election commissioner to recurrently replace the state’s voter lists to take away people who’ve been “identified as noncitizens,” and had not responded to a request to confirm their citizenship in 14 days.
Underneath Youngkin’s govt order, Virginia has eliminated 6,303 people.
“The Executive Order formalized the Program and announced that 6,303 individuals had been removed from the rolls pursuant to the same process between January 2022 and July 2024,” the grievance stated.
DOJ SUES ALABAMA, STATE’S TOP ELECTION OFFICIAL FOR ALLEGEDLY PURGING NONCITIZEN VOTERS TOO CLOSE TO ELECTION
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin speaks through the Republican Nationwide Conference on the Fiserv Discussion board in Milwaukee, July 15. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg through Getty Pictures)
The grievance notes that voters had been recognized as potential noncitizens in the event that they responded “no” to questions on their citizenship standing on sure kinds submitted to the state Division of Motor Autos (DMV).
“This systematic voter removal program, which the State is conducting within 90 days of the upcoming federal election, violates the Quiet Period Provision,” the DOJ stated.
In a press release, Yougkin pushed again on the Justice Division’s lawsuit, saying the lawsuit was “politically motivated.”
“With less than 30 days until the election, the Biden-Harris Department of Justice is filing an unprecedented lawsuit against me and the Commonwealth of Virginia, for appropriately enforcing a 2006 law signed by Democrat Tim Kaine that requires Virginia to remove noncitizens from the voter rolls – a process that starts with someone declaring themselves a non-citizen and then registering to vote,” Youngkins stated.
“Virginians – and Americans – will see this for exactly what it is: a desperate attempt to attack the legitimacy of the elections in the Commonwealth, the very crucible of American Democracy,” he stated.
Younkin vowed to “defend these commonsense steps” and promised that the state’s election can be “secure and fair.”
YOUNGKIN MANDATES ALL PAPER BALLOTS FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN VIRGINIA
“With the support of our Attorney General, we will defend these commonsense steps, that we are legally required to take, with every resource available to us,” he stated. “Virginia’s election will be secure and fair, and I will not stand idly by as this politically motivated action tries to interfere in our elections, period.”
A volunteer holds a sticker to provide to a voter at a polling place on Election Day in Stamford, Conn. (AP Photograph/Jessica Hill)
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, wrote on X that the DOJ lawsuit is “election interference.”
THOUSANDS OF NONCITIZENS REMOVED FROM VOTER ROLLS, DOZENS OF LAWMAKERS WANT ANSWERS FROM GARLANDc
“The Biden-Harris administration is engaging in election interference,” he wrote. “They’re harassing states that are trying to make sure that noncitizens can’t vote. This is a lawless abuse of power.”
The Justice Division lawsuit in opposition to Virginia comes after the company sued Alabama and its Republican Secretary of State Wes Allen over the state’s voter purge program that focused noncitizen voters.
The Justice Division has additionally sued Alabama and its Republican Secretary of State Wes Allen over the state’s voter purge program. (AP Photograph/Jose Luis Magana)
The Justice Division seeks injunctive aid that “would restore the ability of impacted eligible voters to vote unimpeded on Election Day,” and “would prohibit future quiet period violations,” the DOJ stated in a press release.
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“The department also seeks remedial mailings to educate eligible voters concerning the restoration of their rights and adequate training of local officials and poll workers to address confusion and distrust among eligible voters accused of being noncitizens,” the company stated.
