Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) criticized a Division of Justice (DOJ) swimsuit in opposition to his state over the purging of voter rolls Sunday.
“To be clear, this is not a purge,” Youngkin stated on “Fox News Sunday” to anchor Shannon Bream about voter roll removals.
“That is primarily based on a legislation that was signed into impact in 2006 by then-Democrat Governor Tim Kaine,” Youngkin added, explaining that there is an “individualized course of” to find out whether or not self-identified noncitizens are capable of vote within the state.
If voters don’t affirm their citizenship standing, they’re faraway from the rolls, the governor stated.
Earlier this month, the Justice Division unveiled a lawsuit in opposition to Virginia for voter roll purging. In response to the division, Virginia officers violated the Nationwide Voter Registration Act of 1993 by difficult the eligibility of voters too near the upcoming election.
“As the National Voter Registration Act mandates, officials across the country should take heed of the law’s crystal clear and unequivocal restrictions on systematic list maintenance efforts that fall within 90 days of an election,” Kristen Clarke, assistant lawyer common within the Civil Rights Division, stated.
Youngkin signed an govt order in August validating “daily” updates to the voter listing. The updates featured “compar[ing] the list of individuals who have been identified as non-citizens” by the State Division of Motor Autos “to the list of existing registered voters.”
Native registrars then needed to attain out to challenged voters to inform them about “pending cancellation” until they “affirm their citizenship” in 14 days.
The Justice Division has stated, nevertheless, that this course of resulted in some Virginians’ voter registration being canceled.
“And now, 25 days — last week — before the election, the Justice Department decides they are going to bring suit after this law’s been in effect for 18 years, administered by Democrat and Republican governors. And this is the reason why I believe that Americans and Virginians wonder what the Justice Department is up to,” Youngkin stated in his “Fox News Sunday” look.
The Hill has reached out to the Justice Division for remark.
