Supreme Court allows purge of Virginia voter rolls
Gov. Glenn Youngkin is purging some 1,600 people from state voter rolls days before the election


What happened
The U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday gave Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) permission to purge some 1,600 people from state voter rolls days before the election, overruling two lower courts that had ordered the voters to be reregistered. The Supreme Court's order was unsigned, but the three liberal justices dissented, saying they would have denied Virginia's emergency appeal.
Who said what
Youngkin signed an order in August to "expedite the removal of registered voters whose driver's license applications indicated or suggested that they were not U.S. citizens," The Washington Post said. U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles ruled he couldn't do a systematic purge this close to an election because it clearly violated the 90-day "quiet period" stipulated in the National Voter Registration Act. "It is not happenstance that this executive order was announced on the 90th day," she said in court.
The "specter of immigrants voting illegally has been a main part of the political messaging this year" from Donald Trump and other Republicans, "even though such voting is rare in American elections," The Associated Press said. Youngkin called Wednesday's decision a "victory for commonsense and election fairness." He "bristled at the suggestion" that legal voters were "cut off" the rolls, the Post said, arguing that the eligible U.S. citizens caught up in the purge can use Virginia's same-day registration process to cast a provisional ballot.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
Cutting 1,600 of Virginia's 6 million registered voters won't tip the presidential race like 2000's Bush v. Gore ruling, but the Supreme Court is being asked to weigh in a lot this election and "dividing along partisan lines in a partisan election dispute six days before Nov. 5 — while providing zero explanation — is a little ominous," said The Economist's Steven Mazie.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.
-
Why does the U.S. need China's rare earth metals?
Today's Big Question Beijing has a 'near monopoly' on tech's raw materials
By Joel Mathis, The Week US
-
When did divorce begin?
The Explaine Couples have always split up, but the institution has undergone major changes over the years
By David Faris
-
What are your retirement savings account options?
The explainer The two main types of accounts are 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs)
By Becca Stanek, The Week US
-
Hegseth reportedly shared war plans in 2nd group text
Speed Read The defense secretary sent information about an attack in Yemen to a Signal group chat that included his wife and brother
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Supreme Court takes up Trump birthright appeal
Speed Read The New Jersey Attorney General said a constitutional right like birthright citizenship 'cannot be turned on or off at the whims of a single man'
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Judge threatens Trump team with criminal contempt
Speed Read James Boasberg attempts to hold the White House accountable for disregarding court orders over El Salvador deportation flights
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
'You shouldn't need a private company to fill out paperwork for you'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Biden slams Trump's Social Security cuts
Speed Read In his first major public address since leaving office, Biden criticized the Trump administration's 'damage' and 'destruction'
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
El Salvador refuses to return US deportee
Speed Read President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador said he would not send back the unlawfully deported Kilmar Ábrego García
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Trump says electronics tariff break won't last
Speed Read The tariff exemptions on smartphones, laptops and other electronic devices are temporary, the administration says
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Man charged in arson attack on Pennsylvania's Shapiro
Speed Read Governor Josh Shapiro and his family were sleeping when someone set fire to his Harrisburg mansion
By Peter Weber, The Week US