Supreme Court ruling on VA voter purge spurs civil rights election concerns

[Lauren Taylor]

A RECENT DECISION BY THE U.S. THE SUPREME COURT IS RAISING CONCERNS AMONG CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS AND ELECTION WATCHDOGS.

ON WEDNESDAY, THE COURT’S CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY BLOCKED A LOWER COURT’S ORDER THAT WOULD HAVE REINSTATED APPROXIMATELY SIXTEEN HUNDRED INDIVIDUALS REMOVED FROM VIRGINIA’S REGISTERED VOTER ROLLS.

THOSE VOTERS WERE REMOVED UNDER AN EXECUTIVE ORDER BY GOVERNOR GLENN YOUNGKIN, WHICH MANDATES DAILY PURGES OF SELF-IDENTIFIED NONCITIZENS.

THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, ALONG WITH CIVIL RIGHTS AND IMMIGRATION GROUPS, FILED LAWSUITS, CLAIMING THE POLICY IS DISCRIMINATORY

DAMON HEWITT FROM THE LAWYERS’ COMMITTEE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS SAYS THESE ACTIONS ARE HIGHLY COORDINATED, WITH A SPECIFIC AIM IN MIND OTHERS CLAIM IT COULD SET A PRECEDENT FOR BROADER POST-ELECTION CHALLENGES.

GOVERNOR YOUNGKIN PRAISED THE SUPREME COURT’S DECISION AND SAID  CLEAN VOTER ROLLS ARE ESSENTIAL TO ENSURING FAIR ELECTIONS.

VIRGINIA ATTORNEY GENERAL JASON MIYARES CALLED IT A ‘WIN FOR COMMON SENSE,’ SUPPORTING THE IDEA THAT VIRGINIA RESIDENTS SHOULD DECIDE VIRGINIA ELECTIONS.”

ANTHONY ASHTON, AN ASSOCIATE GENERAL COUNSEL FOR THE NAACP SAYS THE ISSUE OF NONCITIZENS VOTING IS, QUOTE, ‘AN ABSOLUTE MYTH,’ ADDING THAT CLAIMS ABOUT VOTER FRAUD AIM TO UNDERMINE CONFIDENCE IN DEMOCRACY.”

CONCERNS HAVE ALSO SURFACED OVER ELIGIBLE VOTERS BEING MISTAKENLY PURGED.

WENDY WEISER FROM THE BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE WARNS THAT THE SUPREME COURT RULING COULD CAUSE CONFUSION AS VOTERS HEAD TO THE POLLS, BOTH IN VIRGINIA AND ACROSS THE NATION.

BUT A NEW OPTION IN VIRGINIA MAY HELP — FOR THE FIRST TIME, VOTERS CAN REGISTER ON THE SAME DAY, RIGHT THROUGH ELECTION DAY ON NOVEMBER 5. THIS SAFEGUARD, GOVERNOR YOUNGKIN SAYS, MEANS THAT ANYONE REMOVED MISTAKENLY WILL STILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO VOTE VIA A PROVISIONAL BALLOT.

STAY TUNED AS WE FOLLOW THIS STORY AND ITS POTENTIAL IMPACT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.