October 18, 2024
A federal judge suspended Alabama’s plans to expel thousands of registered voters from the state’s voter rolls in advance of the 2024 General Election, saying the state had not followed a federal law banning voter roll removals within 90 days of an election. The controversy was caused by a lawsuit brought by the Department of Justice against Alabama’s secretary of state, Wes Allen, for using a voter roll purge system to evict noncitizens. Yet a good many American citizens were on the purge list too.
The judge, a Trump-appointed judge named Anna Manasco, issued the ruling that Allen’s program was illegal under the federal “quiet period” law prohibiting mass voter roll purges 90 days before a federal election. Allen’s program had begun just 84 days before the November election, and included referrals to the state attorney general of 3,251 people for prosecution. Though Allen promised to purge noncitizens, the purge list contained thousands of qualified voters — posing a threat of disenfranchisement.
The outcome of that case left Allen in a statement that said he was disappointed but would follow the court’s ruling. He said he will keep the voting rights of Alabama open to eligible Americans only, but understood the restrictions of the federal injunction. Allen’s purge operation will not resume until after the November 5 election, a court order prohibiting it.
This Justice Department challenge mirrors others in other states, including Virginia, where the governor. Then Glenn Youngkin approved a program to take voters off the rolls within 90 days of the deadline (despite federal objections).
Sources: NBC News and *The Washington Post*.To read more about the decision and the ongoing legal case, click here.
Citations:
– [NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com)
– [The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com)
