The Justice Department is taking legal action against Virginia for its attempt to purge voter rolls within 90 days of an election, which it claims violates federal voting laws. This move follows Governor Glenn Youngkin’s executive order to update the voter list daily, leading to the cancellation of voter registrations for some individuals erroneously identified as noncitizens.
The Virginia Coalition for Immigrant Rights filed a lawsuit against Youngkin, alleging discriminatory and error-ridden practices in the voter purge process. The DOJ lawsuit was applauded by Monica Sarmiento, the organization’s executive director, for challenging Virginia’s “unlawful citizenship purge program.”
The legal battle comes amid political tensions, with Youngkin dismissing the lawsuit as “politically motivated” and former President Trump weighing in to support Youngkin and criticize the Justice Department. This clash highlights the importance of protecting voter rights and the integrity of elections in the Commonwealth.
Gary Grumbach and Jillian Frankel contributed.