WASHINGTON — Today, Hip Hop Caucus’ Associate Director of Respect My Vote! Chris Walton issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision to allow Virginia to continue purging more than 1,600 people from the state’s voter rolls:

“The U.S. Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision to allow the state of Virginia to continue removing registered voters from its voter rolls, less than a week away from the general election, is a violation of The National Voter Registration Act and is an unfair attack on voting rights. 

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s August 7 executive order to expedite the removal of non-U.S. citizens from the state’s voter rolls may have aimed to uphold election integrity, but it has had the opposite effect. Legally registered U.S. citizens are caught in its snares and this must be corrected. 

The National Voter Registration Act notes that states must pause systemic removals from voting rolls during the 90-day period before the election. This Supreme Court decision runs the risk of setting an unfair precedent for how the courts handle election appeals and is yet another example of why it is critically important to ensure that our votes are respected.

Hip Hop Caucus calls on Virginia’s election officials to pause its error-ridden voter purge program and reinstate the legally registered and eligible Virginia voters who were removed. Hip Hop Caucus will continue to push back against concerted efforts to restrict voting rights. Virginia allows in-person voter registration through Election Day and there is still time to make your voice heard.”

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