Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has responded sharply to a lawsuit from the Biden-Harris Department of Justice (DOJ) aimed at stopping the removal of noncitizens and other ineligible voters from the state’s voter rolls. The DOJ’s lawsuit, filed just weeks before the November election, challenges Youngkin’s Executive Order 35, which strengthens election security by requiring regular maintenance of voter lists.
Youngkin’s order, signed on Aug. 7, enforces existing laws that mandate the removal of individuals who are not citizens or otherwise ineligible to vote. The DOJ argues that this action, occurring less than 90 days before an election, violates the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). The NVRA’s “Quiet Period” provision prohibits voter roll maintenance too close to elections to prevent potential errors that could lead to disenfranchisement.
🚨 BREAKING: In perhaps a sign that Democrats view Virginia as "in play" for Trump, Biden-Harris DOJ files lawsuit against Gov. Glenn Youngkin's administration for purging ILLEGAL ALIENS from the voter rolls. pic.twitter.com/ECPKODphCr
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 11, 2024
The DOJ’s concern, voiced by Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general in the Civil Rights Division, revolves around the timing of Youngkin’s order. According to the lawsuit, Virginia violated federal law by requiring election officials to remove voters identified as noncitizens during the 90-day period. Clarke emphasized that election officials must follow “crystal clear and unequivocal” rules during this period to prevent confusion and mistakes that might affect eligible voters.
However, Youngkin did not hold back in his response. He accused the Biden-Harris administration of undermining election security. “With less than 30 days until the election, the Biden-Harris Department of Justice is filing an unprecedented lawsuit against me and the Commonwealth of Virginia, for appropriately enforcing a 2006 law to remove noncitizens from the voter rolls,” Youngkin stated on social media platform X.
@SpeakerJohnson @GlennYoungkin This lawsuit has nothing to do with non-citizens and was filed by DOJ because Youngkin waited until the last minute to do a big purge of his voter rolls. It's federal law that you can’t do that within 90 days of an election. this is so that people… pic.twitter.com/1235qTMYav
— caring 💙🇺🇸🌈✌🏻 (@caringguy1957) October 12, 2024
The Virginia Governor went on to frame the lawsuit as a political move by the administration to delegitimize the upcoming election in his state. “Virginians – and Americans – will see this for exactly what it is; a desperate attempt to attack the legitimacy of the elections in the Commonwealth,” Youngkin added.
Many conservatives see the lawsuit as further evidence of the Biden-Harris administration’s reluctance to enforce election integrity, particularly regarding noncitizens being removed from voter rolls. Republicans, including Youngkin, argue that maintaining clean voter rolls is essential for fair elections and that preventing ineligible individuals from voting is a matter of national security.
The DOJ has filed similar lawsuits in other states, including Alabama, where the removal of noncitizens from voter lists has also become a contentious issue. As the legal battle in Virginia unfolds, the case could set a precedent for other states looking to bolster election security through voter list maintenance.
With Election Day approaching, the conflict between Virginia’s Republican leadership and the Democrat-led federal government highlights the growing debate over election integrity. While the Biden-Harris administration frames its actions as protecting voters from potential mistakes or confusion, Youngkin and other conservatives are standing firm on the need to prevent election fraud and ensure that only eligible citizens participate in the democratic process.
