The Justice Department announced that it is suing Virginia over its efforts to purge voter rolls within 90 days of an election, stating that it violates federal voting laws. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order requiring the state’s Department of Elections to conduct daily updates to its voting list and cancel voter registrations of identified “noncitizens” who fail to respond affirming their citizenship. The DOJ found that some U.S. citizens were erroneously targeted in the purge. Youngkin called the lawsuit politically motivated and an attack on the legitimacy of elections.
The DOJ previously sued Alabama over similar violations. Virginia has voted Democratic in recent presidential elections, but Republicans are challenging incumbent Sen. Tim Kaine in the upcoming Senate race. The Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights also filed a lawsuit against Youngkin, claiming the purge was illegal and discriminatory. The organization applauded the DOJ’s lawsuit. Former President Trump waded into the issue, accusing the DOJ and Vice President Kamala Harris of undermining democracy. The DOJ lawsuit is part of the effort to protect voters and ensure the integrity of elections. The state’s elections commissioner declined to comment on the lawsuit, while Youngkin labeled it as an attack on American democracy.
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Virginia Faces Lawsuit from Justice Department for Attempting to Purge Voter Rolls Just Prior to Election Day
