Following the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) recent lawsuit challenging the removal of noncitizens from Virginia’s registered voter list, the Virginia Fair Elections Coalition (VFE) stands in support of Governor Glenn Youngkin and the VA Department of Elections (ELECT) for their actions to secure the integrity of Virginia’s voter rolls.
VFE Chair Lynn Taylor expressed the Coalition’s concerns, “VFE is deeply troubled by the registration of ineligible individuals and the DOJ’s inexplicable and aggressive actions to make sure they are not removed from our voter rolls. These unlawful registrations highlight the critical need for stringent election security protocols.”
“If ineligible ‘voters’ are allowed to vote in this year’s election, already underway, it could lead to serious, lasting consequences for Virginia’s governance, its lawful voters, and the democratic process as a whole.”
Earlier this year, thousands of noncitizens were removed from Virginia voter rolls after interactions with the Department of Motor Vehicles when noncitizens self-declared their noncitizen status. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares confirmed this process in an October 16, 2024 interview.
Governor Youngkin’s administration has outlined a process, in compliance with Virginia code, that ensures only eligible citizens participate in our democratic process, safeguarding the integrity of every legal vote cast in Virginia. These election security recommendations can be found HERE.
Why does the DOJ want to keep noncitizens on Virginia voter rolls?
VFE emphasizes that this issue extends beyond administrative errors—it is about ensuring that only U.S. citizens, legally entitled to participate, are included on voter rolls, notes Taylor.
“This lawsuit by the DOJ is an affront to Virginians—U.S. citizens—who have the right to decide their future through lawful elections and not have their votes canceled by unlawful voters. While the Biden Administration has dismissed concerns about noncitizen voting, the discovery of thousands of ineligible registrations speaks to a larger issue: Why does the DOJ want noncitizens to vote?”
VFE stresses that Governor Youngkin’s actions comply with Virginia law, signed by former Governor Tim Kaine in 2006, and are necessary to uphold fair and secure elections. Additionally, VFE reaffirms their recommendations to ELECT for further critical election security and transparency measures, which VFE called for in a prior press release.
The Virginia Fair Elections Coalition urges the citizens of Virginia to participate actively in safeguarding the integrity of the upcoming election. We call upon the public to support ongoing efforts by the Governor’s administration to ensure that every legal vote is counted and that only legal votes determine the outcome of our elections.
The Virginia Fair Elections Coalition (VFE) is a statewide alliance of citizens and organizations dedicated to promoting free, fair, and transparent elections.