About a week ago‚ a federal judge put a stop to Alabamas voter list cleanup program restoring active registration status for many legal voters. The decision came roughly a month before the November election
The program‚ started by Republican Secretary of State Wes Allen last year aimed to remove non-citizens from voter rolls. However it affected thousands of legal voters (both American-born and naturalized citizens)
U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco ruled for the Department of Justice and civil rights groups issuing a preliminary injunction. She stated that Allenʼs office “blew the deadline for the 2024 general election‚ with real consequences for thousands of Alabamians who the secretary now acknowledges are in fact legally entitled to vote“
The program identified 3‚251 potential non-citizens using foreign national numbers from state agencies. Local registrars were told to make these voters inactive which didnt remove them but required extra verification. The list was also given to the Alabama Attorney General for “possible criminal prosecution“
Testimony revealed that about 2‚000 of the 3‚251 voters made inactive were legally registered citizens. By last month over 900 proved their legal status. Yesterday another 1‚000 were reactivated after the secretary of states office double-checked information
At least 159 people were “disqualified“ after the August purge - some were legal voters who submitted removal forms by accident or due to confusing instructions
The judge ordered Allenʼs office to educate county officials and poll workers publish a press release and send letters to recently reactivated voters. She allowed removal of ineligible voters on an individual basis
Michelle Canter Coen from the Fair Election Center said “When a state sends out a message like this‚ it has harmed the whole electorate‚ This is a victory for naturalized citizens and legal voters“
Allen declined to comment citing ongoing litigation but stated to The Associated Press “it is my Constitutional duty to ensure that only American citizens vote in our elections“