Republicans are celebrating a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that permits Virginia to remove noncitizens from its voter rolls, a decision they say is a critical step in maintaining election integrity. The 6-3 ruling, handed down on Wednesday, supports Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares’ stance that keeping voter rolls free of noncitizens upholds fairness in elections.
Attorney General Miyares, who led the appeal, called the decision a “win for election integrity and the rule of law.” Miyares expressed his relief that the Court acted swiftly, particularly given his concerns over recent actions by the Biden-Harris administration to intervene. “This ruling is a win for election integrity and the rule of law,” Miyares stated. He added that he remains “deeply concerned” by what he describes as an attempt to block the suit just 25 days before an election.
JUST NOW: In a 6-3 decision, the United States Supreme Court has ruled that Virginia can remove illegal aliens from their voter rolls.
This is a reminder:
If you ARE NOT a United States citizen..
Then you SHOULD NOT be voting in United States elections.
Period.
End of story. https://t.co/7lPIQ18MSa pic.twitter.com/QOj7h529K3
— Byron Donalds (@ByronDonalds) October 30, 2024
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin also praised the ruling, calling it a “victory for commonsense and election fairness.” He emphasized that clean voter rolls are essential for protecting the fundamental rights of U.S. citizens, adding that Virginia has implemented a range of measures to ensure secure elections. According to Youngkin, Virginia’s approach includes paper ballots, counting machines disconnected from the internet, a robust chain of custody, signature verification, and secure drop boxes.
The decision comes at a time of heightened attention to voter roll integrity, especially amid concerns over the “new normal” in election practices. With reliance on mail-in ballots and drop boxes, vulnerabilities in the system have been exposed across the country. For instance, recent arson attacks on ballot drop boxes in Oregon and Washington demonstrate how these tools, though convenient, are susceptible to targeted interference. An unknown suspect in the Pacific Northwest recently set fire to two ballot drop boxes, destroying nearly 500 ballots at one location in Vancouver, Washington. Local authorities worry the attacks may continue.
While Republican leaders champion the Supreme Court’s decision as a protective measure for election integrity, groups opposing the ruling argue it threatens eligible voters’ rights. Aaron Baird, spokesperson for Protect Democracy, criticized the ruling, claiming it removes eligible voters from rolls without evidence that noncitizens are voting. “Virginia has not presented any evidence of noncitizens participating in elections,” Baird said, warning that eligible Virginia voters could suffer as a result.
Meanwhile, the Republican National Lawyers Association accused the Department of Justice of attempting to “force the commonwealth to violate state and federal law” by keeping ineligible voters on the rolls. This latest ruling, along with a Republican victory in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, represents a continued push to secure election integrity, especially in states where voter rolls are under scrutiny.
