October 17, 2024

DOJ Sues Virginia Over Clean Voter Rolls

Governor Glenn Youngkin blasts the Biden-Harris Justice Department for challenging his order to purge state voter rolls of noncitizens.

If there was any doubt that Democrats oppose voter integrity measures, the Biden-Harris Justice Department’s recent actions should dispel any remaining doubt.

The DOJ is targeting Virginia after Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin ordered the state’s election board to remove noncitizens from the voter rolls in compliance with state law.

The DOJ contends that Virginia’s “systematic voter removal program, which the State is conducting within 90 days of the upcoming federal election, violates the Quiet Period Provision” of the federal National Voter Registration Act. The clause known as the Quiet Period Provision requires states to complete all their voter roll maintenance 90 days prior to an election. As demonstrated by the way it’s being applied, it’s a dubious provision — and perhaps unconstitutional, given that Article I, Section 4 says, “The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof.”

Youngkin responded to the DOJ’s lawsuit by pointing out that he has done nothing but comply with Virginia’s “common sense” law. “First and foremost, this is a law that’s been on our books since 2006,” Youngkin explained. “It was a law that was signed by then Democrat Governor Tim Kaine, and it requires our election process and governors to use DMV data when an individual self-identifies as a noncitizen and there is a match with that person on the voter rolls to then notify that person that they have 14 days to affirm that they’re a citizen or not, and if they’re not, then they are removed.”

He further pointed out: “Recent Democrat governors like Terry McAuliffe and Ralph Northam used this exact same process within the 90-day period because it is individualized. An individual starts the process by self-identifying as a noncitizen. And, therefore, as governor, I have an obligation, no discretion, to then run the process to notify that person through our registrar that they have 14 days to clear it up. And if they don’t clear it up, they’re gonna be removed from the voter rolls.”

Thus far, Virginia has removed over 6,300 noncitizens from those rolls. These individuals self-identified as noncitizens and were given 14 days to correct their status.

Youngkin pushed back on the notion that he was engaged in some kind of “purging program,” stating, “It begins with someone identifying themselves as a noncitizen. Do you think that noncitizens, when they’ve [themselves] identified as a noncitizen, should stay on the voter roll and therefore be in a position to potentially vote in a presidential election?”

How did so many noncitizens end up on Virginia’s voter rolls? The answer is the same National Voter Registration Act, which has been referred to as the “Motor Voter” law. When people go to get a driver’s license, they are also pushed to register to vote in federal elections. Therefore, in a state like Virginia, which receives a large influx of foreign nationals, especially in northern Virginia, due to its proximity to Washington, DC, there is a strong likelihood that noncitizens are being registered to vote when they apply for a driver’s license.

The DOJ’s lawsuit — both its timing and the history of not going after Virginia in the past when Democrat governors have applied the very same law — demonstrates that this is all politically motivated. The DOJ is literally engaged in election interference.

What the DOJ should be most concerned with is ensuring election integrity, not fighting to increase the probability that noncitizens are illegally casting votes in a national election. This action also speaks to the dubious claim often repeated by Democrats and the Leftmedia that the 2020 election was the most secure election on record. This action by the DOJ belies that claim. Furthermore, the problem of noncitizens voting is not a new issue. Indeed, it appears to be a growing problem. This is unsurprising, given the massive number of both legal and illegal aliens currently here. This reality begs for increased election integrity measures, not eliminating them.

The biggest threat to America’s democratic electoral system is not Donald Trump. Rather, it’s the existential threat of illegitimate ballots.

Who We Are

The Patriot Post is a highly acclaimed weekday digest of news analysis, policy and opinion written from the heartland — as opposed to the MSM’s ubiquitous Beltway echo chambers — for grassroots leaders nationwide. More

What We Offer

On the Web

We provide solid conservative perspective on the most important issues, including analysis, opinion columns, headline summaries, memes, cartoons and much more.

Via Email

Choose our full-length Digest or our quick-reading Snapshot for a summary of important news. We also offer Cartoons & Memes on Monday and Alexander’s column on Wednesday.

Our Mission

The Patriot Post is steadfast in our mission to extend the endowment of Liberty to the next generation by advocating for individual rights and responsibilities, supporting the restoration of constitutional limits on government and the judiciary, and promoting free enterprise, national defense and traditional American values. We are a rock-solid conservative touchstone for the expanding ranks of grassroots Americans Patriots from all walks of life. Our mission and operation budgets are not financed by any political or special interest groups, and to protect our editorial integrity, we accept no advertising. We are sustained solely by you. Please support The Patriot Fund today!


The Patriot Post and Patriot Foundation Trust, in keeping with our Military Mission of Service to our uniformed service members and veterans, are proud to support and promote the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, both the Honoring the Sacrifice and Warrior Freedom Service Dogs aiding wounded veterans, the National Veterans Entrepreneurship Program, the Folds of Honor outreach, and Officer Christian Fellowship, the Air University Foundation, and Naval War College Foundation, and the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. "Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15:13)

★ PUBLIUS ★

“Our cause is noble; it is the cause of mankind!” —George Washington

Please join us in prayer for our nation — that righteous leaders would rise and prevail and we would be united as Americans. Pray also for the protection of our Military Patriots, Veterans, First Responders, and their families. Please lift up your Patriot team and our mission to support and defend our Republic's Founding Principle of Liberty, that the fires of freedom would be ignited in the hearts and minds of our countrymen.

The Patriot Post is protected speech, as enumerated in the First Amendment and enforced by the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, in accordance with the endowed and unalienable Rights of All Mankind.

Copyright © 2024 The Patriot Post. All Rights Reserved.

The Patriot Post does not support Internet Explorer. We recommend installing the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, or Google Chrome.