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Supreme Court Allows Virginia to Purge 1,600 Noncitizens from Voter Rolls

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Disclaimer: The article may include the author's opinions.
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On Wednesday, the Supreme Court overturned an earlier lower court decision that had temporarily halted Virginia’s attempt to remove 1,600 people from its voter lists in advance of Election Day. People who were first reinstated throughout the Commonwealth will be impacted by this decision, which is a major development in the run-up to the elections.

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Just last week, a federal judge had ordered Virginia to reinstate these 1,600 individuals to the state’s voter rolls. This ruling, delivered by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles—an appointee of President Joe Biden—had sparked debate and raised questions about the implications for election integrity and potential vulnerabilities to voter fraud in Virginia.

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The reinstatement order came after a lawsuit brought by the Biden administration’s Justice Department, which argued that Virginia’s voter roll maintenance efforts allegedly conflicted with the National Voter Registration Act’s Quiet Period Provision. This provision prohibits the systematic removal of voters from registration rolls within 90 days of an election, aiming to protect voter access in the final weeks before Election Day.

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Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke defended the Department of Justice’s position, asserting that Virginia’s removal efforts could risk disenfranchising eligible voters. Clarke’s defense emphasized that the timing of voter roll adjustments is essential to preventing undue obstacles for voters during the critical pre-election period.

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On Wednesday, however, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Virginia, granting the state permission to remove the 1,600 suspected noncitizens from its voter rolls. The decision came with dissent from the court’s three liberal justices, who opposed the ruling, suggesting a division within the court over the balance between election integrity and voter access.

Critics have claimed the liberal justices’ dissent reflects a lenient stance toward voter registration standards, arguing this position risks weakening the nation’s electoral system. Some have even suggested that this dissent calls into question their suitability for seats on the Supreme Court, given their perceived openness to looser election regulations.

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As reported by CNN, the court’s decision—issued without a detailed explanation—allows Virginia to proceed with the program to maintain its voter rolls, aligning with the state’s efforts to ensure that registered voters are verified as citizens. The ruling highlights the ongoing debates around election security and the contrasting views on maintaining voter access.

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