Federal Judge Orders Virginia to Reinstate Voter Registrations

A federal judge has ordered Virginia to reinstate over 1,600 voter registrations that were allegedly purged in violation of federal law, which restricts large changes to voter rolls within 90 days of an election. U.S. District Judge Patricia Giles ruled that many of the canceled registrations belonged to eligible citizens and were removed due to bureaucratic errors. The Justice Department and various advocacy groups argued that the state's automated process for identifying noncitizens was flawed and led to wrongful purges. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin expressed his intent to appeal the ruling, asserting that the majority of the individuals had confirmed their noncitizen status. This decision comes just 11 days before the presidential election, raising concerns over its implications for voter turnout. The situation reflects ongoing tensions surrounding voter registration practices and election integrity in the state.