Republicans Push Voter Roll Purges Before Elections

Republicans are advocating for the removal of names from voter rolls shortly before elections, which raises legal questions under the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) that mandates a 90-day quiet period to prevent disenfranchisement. Brent Ferguson, Senior Director of the Strategic Litigation Campaign at the Legal Center, argues that any attempt to purge voter rolls within this period is illegal.

The Trump administration previously initiated efforts to review voter rolls for non-citizens, despite studies indicating that non-citizen voting is rare. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin is attempting to restart a voter removal program just days before the election, a move that was previously halted by his predecessor, Abigail Spanberger.

The Republican National Committee is seeking to challenge the legality of these purges in court, particularly in Virginia and Arizona, where similar arguments are being made regarding the NVRA's quiet period.