The Biden administration took legal action against Virginia on Friday, filing a lawsuit over the state’s attempt to remove noncitizens from its voter rolls. The administration argued that this move violated a federal law that prohibits changes to voter lists so close to an election.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, comes as the state prepares for a closely watched gubernatorial election in November. The Biden administration’s lawsuit seeks to block Virginia from removing noncitizens from its voter rolls, arguing that doing so would disenfranchise eligible voters.
The dispute centers around Virginia’s recent efforts to clean up its voter rolls by removing individuals who are not U.S. citizens. The state’s Department of Elections sent letters to more than 100,000 registered voters who were identified as potentially being noncitizens, asking them to provide proof of citizenship or risk being removed from the rolls.
According to the lawsuit, the Biden administration argues that Virginia’s actions violate the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), a federal law that governs voter registration procedures. The NVRA prohibits states from removing individuals from voter rolls within 90 days of a federal election, in order to prevent last-minute voter purges that could disenfranchise eligible voters.
In a statement announcing the lawsuit, Attorney General Merrick Garland said, “Protecting the right to vote is a cornerstone of our democracy, and we will not stand by while states attempt to disenfranchise eligible voters. Virginia’s actions violate federal law and undermine the integrity of our elections.”
The lawsuit also alleges that Virginia’s voter purge disproportionately targets minority voters, who are more likely to be falsely flagged as noncitizens due to errors in the state’s database. The Biden administration argues that the state’s actions could result in the wrongful removal of eligible voters from the rolls, in violation of their constitutional rights.
Virginia officials have defended their voter purge as a routine maintenance measure to ensure the integrity of the state’s voter rolls. They argue that removing noncitizens from the rolls is necessary to prevent voter fraud and maintain public confidence in the election process.
In response to the lawsuit, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin issued a statement saying, “We will vigorously defend our efforts to ensure that only eligible voters are on our voter rolls. The Biden administration’s lawsuit is a blatant attempt to interfere in our state’s election process and undermine the will of Virginia voters.”
The legal battle between the Biden administration and Virginia is likely to escalate in the coming weeks, as both sides prepare to present their arguments in court. The outcome of the lawsuit could have far-reaching implications for voter registration procedures in other states, as well as the integrity of future elections.
Meanwhile, voter advocacy groups and civil rights organizations have expressed concern about the potential impact of Virginia’s voter purge on minority communities. They argue that the state’s actions could disenfranchise eligible voters and suppress turnout among marginalized groups, further exacerbating existing disparities in political representation.
As the legal battle unfolds, all eyes will be on Virginia as it prepares for a high-stakes gubernatorial election that could have national implications. The outcome of the lawsuit will not only determine the fate of the state’s voter purge but also set a precedent for how states can clean up their voter rolls without disenfranchising eligible voters.
In the midst of this legal dispute, the Biden administration’s lawsuit against Virginia serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges to safeguarding the right to vote in America. As the country grapples with issues of voter suppression and election integrity, the outcome of this lawsuit will be closely watched as a test of the nation’s commitment to protecting the democratic process.
