Supreme Court Allows Virginia to Proceed with Voter Purge—ahead of 2024 Election
Washington — The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted Virginia the green light to move forward with its initiative to remove approximately 1,600 alleged noncitizens from its voter rolls. The decision came just days before the 2024 U.S. election, allowing Virginia to continue its systematic voter removal program.
The Supreme Court’s Decision
The high court’s action allowed Virginia officials to pause a lower court order that had blocked the state from continuing its voter removal program. This decision was recent and came shortly after Virginia officials requested emergency relief from the Supreme Court.
Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson would have denied the request from Virginia if not overridden by the Court majority to proceed with the election preparations.
Addressing Critical Periods in Federal Elections
Federal voter registration laws, particularly the National Voter Registration Act, outline strict timelines for states to complete voter purge programs. Virginia’s program systematically identifies and removes noncitizens from voter rolls within 90 days before federal elections. This 90-day window, known as the quiet period, ensures that eligible voters are not accidentally disenfranchised.
The main controversy stems from Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s executive order, launched in August and continuing on even into the pivotal 2024 election, which specifically targeted noncitizen voters ahead of this critical period.
Legal Battles and Court Rulings
The latest ruling was based on Virginia officials’ argument that restoring 1,600 voter registrations would bring significant chaos and confusion to the state’s election machinery and administrators. On the other hand, federal authorities contend that the program systematically violated federal law.
U.S. District Judge Patricia Giles had previously issued an order to restore these voter registrations, backed by a panel of 4th Circuit Court of Appeals judges. This ruling was later challenged by Virginia officials, asserting that the system didn’t aim to violate any voter law.
Implications and Broader Context
This ruling isn’t unprecedented—similar suits have been brought against Alabama for removing potential noncitizens from its voter rolls. The crux of these issues remains the balance between state initiatives and federal voter rights protection provisions, balancing feasibility and accuracy in removing noncitizens.
Final Thoughts
The Supreme Court’s allowance for Virginia to proceed with this purge underscores a complex interplay between state sovereignty and federal oversight. As we draw nearer to the 2024 elections, clarifying the role of both state election policies and federal safeguards will be critical to maintaining both the integrity and inclusivity of the voting process.
Stay tuned for updates as the election season unfolds.
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