Virginia Democratic Lawmakers Urge DOJ to Investigate Governor Youngkin's Alleged Voter Rolls Purge Ahead of Crucial Elections

DOJ urged to act over Youngkin administration's software error that led to an estimated 3,400 eligible voters wrongly deleted from Virginia rolls ahead of key November 7 elections, as concerns mount over potential voter suppression and damage to public trust despite restoration announcements.

• On October 31, Virginia’s Democratic Congressional Delegation sent a second letter to the DOJ, requesting an immediate investigation into the recent purge of the state’s voter rolls by Governor Glenn Youngkin.
• Youngkin's administration admitted a software error caused an estimated 3,400 qualified voters to be removed from Virginia’s rolls ahead of important November 7, 2023 elections.
• Voting rights advocates have expressed concern that the wrongful voter removals and lack of sufficient notification time for reinstated voters could suppress voter turnout and damage public trust in electoral processes.
• This incident follows a series of 'troubling actions' that include a backlog at the Department of Elections, failure to pass along additional voting records, and Virginia's decision to exit from the bipartisan Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC).
• Virginia Democrats have renewed calls for the Justice Department to investigate Youngkin's administration for potential violations of the Voting Rights Act.

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