A U.S. federal judge issued a ruling on October 25, 2024, blocking a recent attempt by the state of Virginia to remove individuals from its voter rolls who had not sufficiently proved their citizenship. This ruling cited a federal prohibition against purging significant numbers of voters within 90 days of an election, and its intended effect is to prevent such a purging in advance of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

The governor of Virginia has since stated that the State will appeal the ruling and bring this matter up to the Supreme Court, if possible and necessary.

The integrity of U.S. electoral processes is always important, and this ruling underscores challenges, legal and otherwise, associated with determining voter eligibility. While it seems logical that Virginia intended to enhance election integrity, the judge’s ruling emphasizes adherence to certain federal laws designed to protect voter rights, especially close to an election.

One may argue that this event illustrates a disconnect in the U.S. between the concepts of voter rights and election integrity even though the two concepts should not be mutually exclusive, in theory. Unfortunately, media narratives sometimes do position these two concepts as mutually exclusive, leading to policy suggestions that can inadvertently harm legitimate voters. By recognizing that voter rights and election integrity can coexist, lawmakers and legal professionals can advocate for approaches that uphold both principles, fostering a more inclusive electoral process.