WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Justice announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against the State of Alabama and its Secretary of State, alleging that Alabama violated federal law by initiating a systematic program to remove voters from its election rolls less than 90 days before the Nov. 5 general election.
The Justice Department claims Alabama’s actions are in violation of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA), specifically citing Section 8(c)(2), known as the “Quiet Period Provision.” This provision requires that states complete any systematic voter roll maintenance at least 90 days before a federal election to prevent eligible voters from being erroneously removed.
“The right to vote is one of the most sacred rights in our democracy,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “As Election Day approaches, it is critical that Alabama redress voter confusion resulting from its list maintenance mailings sent in violation of federal law.”
The lawsuit challenges Alabama’s recent efforts to remove noncitizens from its voter rolls, which began on Aug. 13—84 days before the general election. According to the Justice Department, the state’s actions resulted in letters being sent to both native-born and naturalized U.S. citizens, incorrectly informing them that their voter registration had been made inactive and that they were on a path to removal from the state’s registration list.
Federal law restricts such systematic voter roll purges within 90 days of a federal election to prevent eligible voters from being inadvertently removed. The Justice Department is seeking injunctive relief to restore voting rights to impacted individuals and to prevent Alabama from conducting similar actions in the future.
The Justice Department also demands that Alabama take steps to educate eligible voters whose registrations were affected and ensure that local officials and poll workers are properly trained to address any confusion.
Alabama officials have not yet issued a response to the lawsuit.