On Wednesday, a federal judge temporarily halted Alabama’s program designed to remove certain voters from its registration list. This action is part of an ongoing legal dispute concerning voter purges in states with Republican leadership prior to the upcoming Election Day.
The court decision follows challenges posed by the Justice Department and civil rights organizations, represented by the Campaign Legal Center. These groups contested the measures described by Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen as “strategic efforts” to eliminate noncitizens from the state’s voter rolls.
Federal legislation, known as the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), prohibits Alabama and other states from systematically purging registered voters from their lists within 90 days of a federal election, a period referred to as the “quiet period.”
In August, 84 days ahead of the election, Allen unveiled a process intended to purge 3,251 registered voters in Alabama, identified by the Department of Homeland Security as having noncitizen identification numbers. Voting in federal and state elections is not permitted for non-U.S. citizens. However, Allen recognized that the removal list also included U.S. citizens who had been naturalized and were eligible to vote.
U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco, appointed by former President Donald Trump, ruled that Alabama’s actions violated the NVRA’s “quiet period” provision. Consequently, Allen was instructed to pause the voter removal process until November 5.
Judge Manasco noted in the court order that Allen had commenced the purge program prematurely, acknowledging that the list mistakenly included numerous U.S. citizens and referred all listed individuals for potential criminal investigation.
Similar legal actions have been initiated in Virginia, challenging an August executive order by Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin. This order demands “daily updates” to the state’s voter list to remove individuals unable to confirm their citizenship through Virginia’s Department of Motor Vehicles. Opponents argue that the timing of these removals contravenes the NVRA’s “quiet period” and assert that the DMV data used may be incorrect or outdated.
Governor Youngkin described the DOJ lawsuit as a “desperate attempt to attack the legitimacy of the elections” in Virginia. Former President Trump has echoed these sentiments, alleging on social media without evidence that the DOJ’s legal challenge was aimed at manipulating the elections by reinstating “Illegal Voters” on Virginia’s voter rolls.
Additionally, a potential legal conflict is brewing in Ohio regarding recent voter purges. Voting rights groups, led by the American Civil Liberties Union, issued a letter to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, highlighting voter removals in several counties that purportedly did not conform to NVRA standards. These groups have indicated their readiness to pursue legal action if the issues are not addressed within 20 days.