A recent lawsuit filed against Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and state elections officials has brought to light concerns about a voter roll maintenance program that allegedly violates federal law. The lawsuit, brought by organizations such as the Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights and the League of Women Voters of Virginia, claims that the program, referred to as a 'Purge Program,' violates the National Voter Registration Act.
The suit specifically points out that the program runs afoul of federal law by conducting voter cancelation and list maintenance activities within the 90-day 'quiet period' before an election. It alleges that the program is illegal, discriminatory, and prone to errors, potentially jeopardizing the voting rights of naturalized U.S. citizens and others.
In response, a spokesperson for Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin defended the process, stating that every step in the list maintenance process is mandated by Virginia law and is initiated when individuals indicate they are not citizens. The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is required by law to share information about individuals who self-identify as noncitizens in DMV transactions with the state elections office.
Despite the legal challenge, the attorney general's office expressed confidence in the Department of Elections' position and readiness to defend it. The lawsuit raises important questions about the balance between maintaining accurate voter rolls and ensuring that eligible voters are not disenfranchised.
As the legal battle unfolds, early voting for the 2024 elections in Virginia has already commenced, underscoring the timeliness and significance of the issues at hand.
