Victory! Virginia Voter Purges Put to a Stop Ahead of the 2024 Election

October 25, 2024

Alexandria, Virginia — Today, the Virginia Coalition of Immigrants Rights (VACIR), the League of Women Voters of Virginia (LWVVA) and African Communities Together (ACT) successfully defended naturalized Americans who were unfairly targeted in Virginia’s illegal and last-minute purge program.

A judge just ruled to temporarily halt the program and put voters back on the rolls. The plaintiffs are represented by Advancement Project, Campaign Legal Center (CLC), Protect Democracy Project, and Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

“Today, the court recognized that federal law protects voters from last-minute removals from the voter rolls. Ultimately, Virginia’s desperate attempt to undermine the will of the people and sow distrust in our elections was foiled. In an effort to feed false anti-immigrant tropes, citizens, disproportionately voters of color, have been wrongly removed from the voter rolls, and they must be restored.” said Judith Browne Dianis, Executive Director of Advancement Project.

Background:

The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) bans voter purges (the systematic removal of voters) within 90 days of an election. This period is referred to as a “quiet period.” On the very first day of the quiet period, Virginia Governor Youngkin directed the Department of Elections (ELECT) to identify and purge voters on a systematic and ongoing basis.

There are already strict laws in place that ensure only U.S. citizens can vote in federal elections. Last minute voter purges that occur within 30 days of election day, when early voting is already underway, inevitably deny qualified Americans their freedom to vote.

When Congress passed the NVRA in 1993, it ensured that states can’t conduct last-minute illegal voter purges, and Virginia clearly violated that law.

Campaign Legal Center (CLC), Protect Democracy Project, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. and Advancement Project  filed suit earlier this month on behalf of VACIR, LWVVA and ACT alongside Protect Democracy Project, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and Campaign Legal Center  to challenge the state’s policy of illegally and systematically removing voters from the rolls only one month before the upcoming election.

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Advancement Project is a cutting-edge, no-holds-barred national organization whose team members are dedicated to building local power in communities of color. Centered on a movement lawyering approach, defined as community-centered racial justice lawyering, Advancement Project supports grassroots organizations working to eliminate oppressive structures in our laws and institutions and shift narratives towards transformative change. By fighting for liberatory public education, protecting and expanding our right to vote, and supporting community-led public safety that affirm the dignity and humanity of people of color, Advancement Project advances real change from the ground up.