A legal confrontation over voter registration practices has unfolded in Alabama, drawing national attention.
According to the Washington Examiner, a federal judge has ordered Alabama's Secretary of State to halt a controversial program aimed at removing potential noncitizens from the state's voter rolls.
The decision comes in response to a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice, challenging the legality and timing of the state's actions. Judge Anna Manasco issued the order, citing violations of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).
The core of the legal dispute centers on the timing of Alabama's voter roll purge program. Secretary of State Wes Allen, a Republican, initiated the program 84 days before the 2024 General Election. Judge Manasco stated that Allen "blew the deadline" by announcing a purge program to begin within the 90-day period before an election, violating a key provision of the NVRA.
In August, Allen had notified 3,251 registered voters who he said had been assigned alien registration numbers that they would be moved to "inactive" status on the state's voter roll until they could confirm their citizenship. The Department of Homeland Security assigns these numbers to noncitizens, who could eventually gain citizenship.
Allen argued that the DHS was uncooperative in identifying which Alabamians with alien registration numbers had been naturalized, making it difficult to maintain accurate voter rolls.
Court documents revealed significant flaws in the implementation of Alabama's program. Approximately 2,000 citizens were erroneously deactivated, forcing them to take steps to reregister to vote. This high error rate raised serious concerns about the program's accuracy and its potential to disenfranchise legitimate voters.
One particularly troubling case involved a voter who received a deactivation notice despite never having an alien registration number and always being a citizen. This instance highlights the potential for administrative errors to significantly impact voting rights.
The program also resulted in at least 106 people asking Allen to remove them from the voter rolls, indicating they were ineligible to vote.
The Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Virginia after the state announced in August that it would continue its program to identify and remove suspected noncitizens from its voter registration rolls.
Governor Glenn Youngkin has pledged to contest the lawsuit, calling it an attempt to undermine the integrity of elections in Virginia. He also pointed out that the state's process for screening noncitizens has been in effect since 2006 and complies with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).
The Alabama case highlights the ongoing challenges in managing voter registration systems while complying with federal laws. Judge Manasco's order to halt the program underscores the legal constraints on voter roll maintenance, particularly near elections.
The Alabama voter roll purge case underscores the complex challenges in election administration. The court's decision emphasizes the need for states to carefully consider federal laws and timelines when implementing voter roll maintenance programs. It also highlights the importance of accuracy in such initiatives to prevent the disenfranchisement of eligible voters. As the 2024 election approaches, this case serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between maintaining accurate voter rolls and protecting voting rights.
