Virginia voter purge/ Virginia voter registration issues/ wrongfully purged Virginia voters/ Newslooks/ FALLS CHURCH/ Va./ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ As Virginia’s Election Day approaches, citizens like Phoebe Taylor and Eric Terrell discovered their voter registrations had been mistakenly purged in an effort to prevent noncitizen voting. With nearly 1,600 affected Virginians, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled this week that the purges could stand, but officials are offering same-day registration to allow impacted voters to cast ballots provisionally.
Virginia Citizens Re-Register to Vote After Being Purged: Quick Look
- Voter Roll Purges: Approximately 1,600 Virginians were removed from voter rolls in a noncitizen purge, affecting some eligible voters.
- Same-Day Registration: Impacted citizens can cast provisional ballots through same-day registration on Election Day.
- Legal Back-and-Forth: Despite initial rulings to reverse the purge, the Supreme Court ruled Virginia could proceed with its removal plan.
- Impact on Election: The issue is unlikely to affect statewide results, with Vice President Kamala Harris leading Virginia polls comfortably.
- Trump’s Virginia Rally: Trump plans a last-minute rally in Virginia, aiming to tighten Harris’s lead.
Virginia Citizens Re-Register to Vote After Being Purged From Rolls
Deep Look
With Virginia’s Election Day fast approaching, many voters like Phoebe Taylor were shocked to learn their names had been purged from the voter rolls in a state effort to prevent noncitizen voting. Taylor, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Britain, had planned to vote at her Richmond precinct. However, she only discovered her registration was canceled when notified by a reporter. “I wouldn’t even have known,” Taylor said, describing her frustration over the error.
Taylor is one of approximately 1,600 Virginians recently removed from voter rolls, and her case highlights the confusion surrounding Virginia’s initiative to stop noncitizens from voting. After initial lower court rulings ordered Virginia to reverse the removals, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the state could proceed with the purges.
In Taylor’s case, she suspects the issue originated from her earlier application for a Virginia driver’s license before she became a citizen. Her story is similar to other citizens caught in this purge, such as Richmond resident Eric Terrell. Terrell, 66, learned of his registration cancellation after contacting his local elections office about the status of his absentee ballot. Virginia officials assured him he could still cast a provisional ballot on Election Day through the state’s same-day registration process. Although inconvenienced, Terrell expressed relief, saying, “As long as I can vote, it’s over as far as I’m concerned.”
Confusion Around the Purges and Same-Day Registration
According to Virginia’s Office of Elections, individuals whose registrations were canceled mistakenly can still vote provisionally by registering on Election Day. This safety measure, officials say, should help impacted voters cast their ballots. “Voters affected by the removals should take advantage of same-day registration,” said Thalia Simpson, spokesperson for Prince William County’s Office of Elections.
Virginia’s 1,600 removed registrations account for just 0.03% of the state’s 6 million registered voters, leading analysts to believe the error is unlikely to affect outcomes significantly. David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, acknowledged the purges had been a concern. However, he noted that same-day registration should enable eligible Virginians to vote, even if their initial registrations were canceled.
Virginia’s Political Landscape and the 2024 Election
This year’s presidential race in Virginia appears less competitive, with Kamala Harris maintaining a solid lead over former President Donald Trump. Once considered a battleground state, Virginia has leaned Democratic in recent elections, with Trump losing to Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020. Additionally, polls show incumbent Democratic Senator Tim Kaine holding a commanding lead over his Republican opponent.
Still, Trump has planned a last-minute rally in Salem, Virginia, for Saturday, hoping to appeal to voters despite his trailing numbers. This stop follows a similar campaign event in New Mexico, another state where he lags in polls. At a recent rally near Richmond, Trump insisted, “We have a real chance,” claiming his campaign has gained traction in Virginia.
Susan Swecker, chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia, countered Trump’s optimism, dismissing his campaign stops in Virginia as ineffective. “Kamala Harris will win Virginia convincingly, as he knows, and any visit from this deranged lunatic will only widen the margin,” she said.
Voter Concerns and Mixed Feelings About the Presidential Race
Not every Virginian affected by the voter roll purge plans to vote. Alexandria resident Abdullah Al Mosawa, who became a U.S. citizen five years ago, said he was unlikely to vote, expressing dissatisfaction with the presidential choices. “With the options we have now, if I try again, I would vote third party,” Al Mosawa noted.
Overall, the wrongful purge has prompted frustration for some voters, but Virginia’s same-day registration is expected to provide most affected citizens a chance to vote. As Election Day nears, the political stakes in Virginia may be high for some, but officials believe the impact of these errors on overall turnout and results will be minimal.
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