With just 60 days until Election Day, several states are actively purging their voter rolls to ensure accuracy and integrity in the electoral process. Recent reports indicate that thousands of non-citizens have been removed from voter rolls in at least three states, raising concerns about how they were initially included.
In Texas, approximately 6,500 non-citizens were identified on the voter roll, with 1,900 of them having a history of voting. Similarly, Ohio discovered 138 non-citizens who had cast ballots in the state. These findings have sparked discussions about the potential impact on local elections, such as city council races, school board elections, and mayoral contests, which are equally significant in shaping communities.
While some argue that these numbers represent a minimal fraction of the overall voter population and do not indicate widespread voter fraud, others emphasize the importance of addressing any irregularities to uphold the integrity of the electoral system. The removal of 3,200 suspected non-citizens from Alabama's voter list and 6,000 from Virginia's further underscore the need for vigilance in maintaining accurate voter rolls.
One theory suggests that the accessibility of driver's licenses for undocumented individuals in nearly half of U.S. states may contribute to non-citizens inadvertently registering to vote. Additionally, the automatic voter registration process in 25 states linked to interactions with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) could lead to errors if staff members are not adequately trained to identify ineligible voters.
In response to these concerns, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin recently issued an executive order mandating the DMV to notify the Department of Elections about non-citizen drivers. This proactive measure aims to prevent unauthorized individuals from participating in the electoral process and uphold the sanctity of voting rights.