Youngkin reacts to SCOTUS decision on voter purge lawsuit
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- In a win for Governor Glenn Youngkin, the United States Supreme Court has ruled that Virginia does not have to restore around 1,600 names to the state’s voter rolls ahead of Election Day. “What happened today at the Supreme Court was very welcomed by me and I am very happy about their ruling,” Governor Glenn Youngkin told 8News. (PREVIOUS) US Supreme Court allows Virginia’s voter purge program to resume The names were removed as part of a state process to remove people who checked a box at the DMV saying they are not U.S citizens. However, voting rights groups and the Department of Justice sued the state, saying the process violates a federal law preventing states from systematically removing voters from the rolls 90 days before an election. “We don’t know the basis for the court’s grant of a stay,” said Ryan Snow with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Snow, who represented several voting rights groups in the lawsuit, disagrees with the high court’s ruling, saying the process was flawed because it wrongfully removed eligible voters. “It needs to be made clear that it remains unlawful and unacceptable to remove eligible voters from the rolls," said Snow. "The law and the facts were very clear -- this was a systematic purge." Youngkin says none of the people removed will be disenfranchised because Virginia allows voters to register on Election Day and cast a provisional ballot. “We want you to vote. And if you are not on the voter rolls, you can same-day register and cast a ballot,” said Youngkin.
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- In a win for Governor Glenn Youngkin, the United States Supreme Court has ruled that Virginia does not have to restore around 1,600 names to the state’s voter rolls ahead of Election Day.
“What happened today at the Supreme Court was very welcomed by me and I am very happy about their ruling,” Governor Glenn Youngkin told 8News.
(PREVIOUS) US Supreme Court allows Virginia’s voter purge program to resume
The names were removed as part of a state process to remove people who checked a box at the DMV saying they are not U.S citizens. However, voting rights groups and the Department of Justice sued the state, saying the process violates a federal law preventing states from systematically removing voters from the rolls 90 days before an election.
“We don’t know the basis for the court’s grant of a stay,” said Ryan Snow with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
Snow, who represented several voting rights groups in the lawsuit, disagrees with the high court’s ruling, saying the process was flawed because it wrongfully removed eligible voters.
“It needs to be made clear that it remains unlawful and unacceptable to remove eligible voters from the rolls," said Snow. "The law and the facts were very clear -- this was a systematic purge."
Youngkin says none of the people removed will be disenfranchised because Virginia allows voters to register on Election Day and cast a provisional ballot.
“We want you to vote. And if you are not on the voter rolls, you can same-day register and cast a ballot,” said Youngkin.
