RICHMOND, VA – The Youngkin administration’s Department of Elections publicly admitted today to illegally purging an unknown number of registered voters from Virginia’s voter rolls.

This illegal purge occurs as the second week of early voting is already underway, potentially drastically changing the number of Virginians who will be able to cast ballots and could determine the outcome of close legislative elections this November.

DPVA Chairwoman Susan Swecker issued the following statement:

“The Democratic Party of Virginia is calling for a full investigation into the weaponized incompetence of the Youngkin administration’s Department of Elections.

This is the latest exhibit in a case against the Youngkin administration and Virginia Republicans who have been trying to take away Virginians’ voting rights in order to gain power. MAGA Republicans know most Virginians don’t support their extreme ideology. Since they can’t win fair and square, they’re making it harder for Virginians to make their voices heard.

The only thing these extreme MAGA Republicans care about is taking and keeping power – even if it means illegally purging voter registrations – until they got caught with their hand in the cookie jar. The decisions made by Youngkin and his administration have served to make this illegal purge anything but accidental: it is the consequence of an avoidable level of incompetence, curated by MAGA extremists leading this administration.

This illegal purge is a criminal affront to the basic foundations of democracy and further underscore the ways in which MAGA Republicans are working to subvert the functions of our democratic process.”

DPVA Voter Protection Director Aaron Mukerjee issued the following statement:

“It is unacceptable that we are two weeks into early voting and the Youngkin administration does not even know how many Virginians they wrongfully purged from the voter rolls. Virginians are actively being disenfranchised in this election by extremist policies designed to make it harder to vote and easier to cheat. 

Let’s be clear: If they take total control in November, MAGA Republicans will do everything in their power to take away the right to vote.”

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