Voter Purge Protection Act
Summary
The Voter Purge Protection Act amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. It aims to prevent states from removing registered voters from official lists unless there is objective and reliable evidence of ineligibility. The bill outlines specific factors that cannot be considered as reliable evidence, such as failure to vote or respond to notices.
Expected Effects
This act would standardize voter roll maintenance across states, setting a higher bar for removing voters from registration lists. It mandates that states provide notice to individuals removed from voter lists and public notice of any general voter list maintenance programs. The goal is to reduce erroneous purges and ensure eligible citizens are not disenfranchised.
Potential Benefits
- Reduces risk of eligible voters being wrongly removed from voter rolls.
- Increases transparency in voter list maintenance through required notices.
- Standardizes criteria for voter removal, promoting fairness.
- Protects against removal based on inactivity or non-response.
- Enhances voter confidence in the integrity of elections.
Potential Disadvantages
- May increase administrative burden on states to verify voter ineligibility.
- Could potentially lead to inflated voter rolls with ineligible voters.
- Might increase the complexity of voter list maintenance processes.
- Could lead to legal challenges regarding the definition of 'objective and reliable evidence'.
- Potential for partisan disputes over implementation and enforcement.
Constitutional Alignment
The bill aligns with the principles of ensuring fair and accessible elections, potentially reinforcing the right to vote as implied by the Constitution. While the Constitution does not explicitly detail voter registration processes, the bill seeks to prevent disenfranchisement, which aligns with the broader democratic principles embedded in the Constitution. The bill does not infringe upon any specific enumerated powers of the states or the federal government.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).