Judge Orders Virginia to Reinstate Purged Voters

A federal judge has ordered Virginia to reinstate more than 1,500 voters removed from voter rolls following Gov. Glenn Youngkin's executive order to purge noncitizens. The judge ruled that the state's actions violated the National Voter Registration Act, which prohibits systematic voter roll purges within 90 days of an election. The Department of Justice and several advocacy groups argued that the removals were illegal and discriminatory, potentially disenfranchising eligible voters. Despite the state's claim that the purge aimed to remove noncitizens, some affected individuals were found to be legitimate voters, including naturalized citizens. Gov. Youngkin intends to appeal the decision, potentially escalating the case to higher courts. This ruling follows similar legal actions against voter roll purges in other states like Alabama.