Navigating Voter Rolls and the Debate Over Voter Purging
By Josephine Ennin
Voter rolls refer to a list of actively registered voters who can cast their votes in an upcoming election. Voter rolls are the doorway to voting because only registered voter’s count. Federal and state laws ensure accurate and up-to-date voter rolls without violating voting rights.
The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) defines who can be removed from voter registration lists, including at the voter’s request, felony conviction, mental incapacity adjudication, death, and moving out of jurisdiction.
Voter Rolls: Why is it important?
Voter rolls determine whether a citizen can cast a ballot. States are not required to follow the procedures set by the NVRA. All but six states—Idaho, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming—are not subject to these standards.
What is voter purging?
Voter purging is the flawed process of deleting names from registration lists without necessarily confirming the individual’s eligibility to vote. State and local governments systematically purge millions of voters through a flawed, manipulable, and hidden procedure.
Why is it important?
Voter purging is a growing threat to the right to vote.The lack of transparency in voter purging allows for assumptions about the amount of erroneously purged voters. If done correctly, voter purging can assure reliable, accurate, and up-to-date voter rolls. Researchers concluded that states deleted 16 million voters between 2014 and 2016 and roughly 17 million between 2016 and 2018.
What is the relation between the two?
Voter purging occurs during voter roll list maintenance. Updating registration may confuse two voters for the same person. Often considered a necessary but reckless way to be ineligible to vote.
What do you need to know?
Voter rolls and purging help states and municipalities keep track of those who qualify for voting. They are required for active election participation because the deceased and relocated are ineligible. They also assist in establishing election and polling place/voting machine budgets. This information urges people to check their voter registration status routinely:Increased awareness reduces election purge and voter prejudice.Monitoring provides legal aid and advocacy to ensure non-discriminatory voter purges that do not disqualify eligible voters.
Conclusion
The inconsistent rules and procedures for voter purging make it challenging to produce active and effective voter rolls. It is almost impossible to set standards for voter purging since methods vary from state to state. Voter rolls are fundamental to the functioning of democratic elections. Ensuring that each eligible citizen has the opportunity to participate in the electoral process.