Voter Purges

Protecting the Voter Rolls

It’s one thing to get citizens onto the voter rolls. But it’s equally important that we make sure eligible voters stay on the rolls.

Under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), states are tasked with maintaining current and accurate voter registration databases. However, the lack of clear and uniform standards for list maintenance has resulted in inconsistent standards from state to state, and poorly developed “voter purge” programs have often led to the mass disenfranchisement of eligible voters. Frequently, such ill-conceived purge programs have had a disproportionate impact on minority populations.

The removal of voters from the rolls needs to be undertaken with the greatest of care, and in complete compliance with the standards established by federal law, including the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), which contains a number of procedural protections to protect eligible voters from wrongful removals.

Project Vote closely monitors, investigates, and where necessary brings suits against illegal and discriminatory voter purge activity.

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Voting Rights Act Ruling a Setback for Our Great Democracy

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Today’s ruling is a significant setback for voting rights in our great democracy. The Voting Rights Act remains one of the most important achievements of the civil rights movement, and for almost 50 years has been a vital tool to protect real voters from losing their right to cast a ballot.  Read more

Proposed Election Rules Create New Hurdles for Voter Registration and Risk Improper Voter Roll Purges

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The Indiana legislature yesterday passed election rules that will make it more difficult to register to vote, and increase the risk of improper purges, according to national voting rights group Project Vote. Read more

Lawsuit Forces Partial Settlement for Harris County, Texas Voters

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Today, a partial agreement was reached in response to a lawsuit initiated by LULAC, Project Vote, the Campaign Legal Center, and the Law Offices of Brazil and Dunn against Harris County, Texas, challenging the legality of Harris County’s voter purge and voter registration program. Read more

Florida Assures Court that No Eligible Citizen Will Be Wrongfully Removed from Voter Rolls Before Election

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According to Secretary of State Detzner, “there is no chance that a citizen will be erroneously removed from the voter rolls before Election Day.” Read more

LULAC Files Action Against Harris County To Stop Discriminatory Practices Aimed at Preventing Minorities from Voting

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Today, LULAC filed suit against Harris County in Federal District Court for the Southern District of Texas maintaining that Harris County officials wrongly rejected voter applications through discriminatory practices against Latino and African American applicants. Read more

Voter Purge Settlement Protects Right to Vote for Florida Voters

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Under a settlement agreement announced today, Florida will reverse the effects of an illegal purge program that resulted in many eligible voters being purged from the rolls.   Read more

Voting Rights Organizations Challenge Florida Voter Purge Program

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Today, civil and voting rights organizations filed a lawsuit on behalf of Florida plaintiffs affected by Gov. Rick Scott's illegal voter purge program. Read more

Voting Rights Organizations Send Notice to Florida: Stop Purging Voters

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oday, a coaliton of civil and voting rights organizations sent a letter to Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner, alerting him that Florida’s plan to identify and remove alleged non-citizens from the voter rolls violates federal law and must cease immediately. Read more

New Project Vote Media Memo Assesses GOP’s Record of Voter Caging and Other So-Called “Ballot Security” Measures

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On November 3, 2008, on the eve of an historic defeat for the GOP, the Republican National Committee (RNC) quietly filed a motion to dissolve an existing consent decree that prohibits them from engaging in so-called “ballot-security” measures… Read more

Project Vote Takes Legal Action to Protect 86,000 St. Louis Voters

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On Wednesday Project Vote joined two private attorneys in filing suit against the St. Louis County board of elections, demanding that they take steps to prevent some 86,000 St. Louis residents from being wrongly and illegally prevented from casting a ballot on Election Day. Read more