September 28th 2024.
The United States Justice Department has taken legal action against the state of Alabama and its Secretary of State for allegedly engaging in systematic voter purging. This lawsuit was filed on September 27th, and it accuses Alabama of violating the National Voter Registration Act by removing registered voters less than three months before a federal election. According to NPR, this federal law includes a "quiet period" before an election in which states covered by the law cannot systematically remove names from their registered voters list. Despite this, Alabama's Secretary of State Wes Allen announced on August 13th that they would be removing noncitizen voters from their jurisdiction in an effort to have the most accurate and cleanest voter file in the country.
The announcement was made within the 90-day threshold by the state's Chief Elections official and is said to affect 3,251 registered voters who have noncitizen identification numbers from the Department of Homeland Security. In a press release, the Republican lawmaker stated, "I have been clear that I will not tolerate the participation of noncitizens in our elections. I have even testified before a United States Senate Committee on the importance of this issue. We have carefully examined our current voter file to identify anyone who appears on the list and has been issued a noncitizen identification number."
The Republican lawmaker also provided a list of noncitizen voters to the Office of Alabama Attorney General for potential criminal prosecution. However, NPR noted that federal law already prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections and that these cases are extremely rare. The Justice Department has accused Alabama of causing confusion among voters and has urged the state to follow the Quiet Period Provisions in place to protect all voters.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division stated, "The right to vote is one of the most sacred rights in our democracy. As Election Day approaches, it is critical that Alabama addresses the voter confusion caused by their list maintenance mailings, which are in violation of federal law. Officials across the country should take note of the National Voter Registration Act's clear and unequivocal restrictions on systematic list maintenance efforts within 90 days of an election."
The statement also mentioned that Alabama's actions are seen as a "systematic voter removal program," and that they have also sent inactive voter notifications to both native-born and naturalized citizens. These notifications direct recipients, who are U.S. citizens and eligible to vote, to complete and submit a Voter Registration Form provided by the State of Alabama. However, the form also states that individuals cannot register to vote within 14 days before an election.
In addition to the Justice Department's lawsuit, other voting rights groups and individuals who have been affected by Alabama's voter purging efforts have also taken legal action against the state. Despite this, Secretary of State Wes Allen has remained firm in his stance and stated, "I will not bow down to threats from ultra-liberal activist groups who will stop at nothing in their quest to see noncitizens remain on Alabama's voter rolls." He also refused to comment on the additional lawsuit from the Justice Department.
In related news, Senator Raphael Warnock has voiced his concerns about Georgia's hand-counted ballot rule, calling it an "effort to turn democracy on its head." This ongoing battle to protect the right to vote and ensure fair elections continues to be a pressing issue in the United States.
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