Supreme Court Allows Virginia Voter Roll Purge

The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed Virginia to proceed with the removal of self-identified non-citizens from its voter rolls, reversing a lower court's decision that mandated their reinstatement before the upcoming election. This 6-3 decision, hailed as a victory by Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, emphasizes the importance of election integrity and state authority in determining voter eligibility. The case arose from Governor Glenn Youngkin's executive order for daily cross-referencing of voter rolls with DMV data to identify non-citizens, a process criticized for potential errors that could wrongfully disenfranchise eligible voters. Critics argue that such removals within the federally prohibited 90-day period before elections could lead to mistaken disenfranchisement. The Supreme Court's ruling is part of a broader trend of election-related cases it is likely to address, with the decision favoring Republican-backed measures to secure voter rolls. Although the ruling sides with Virginia, it underscores ongoing debates about the balance between preventing voter fraud and ensuring access to voting rights.