Brennan Center Statement: Florida Defies Justice Department on Voter Purge

Contact: Desiree Ramos Reiner, 646–292–8321

Florida’s Secretary of State announced today that the state will not suspend its voter purging efforts, despite a warning from the Department of Justice that it may violate federal law. The Brennan Center released the following statement:

“We are disappointed with Secretary of State Detzner’s decision to press forward with this misguided voter purge. The state’s planned purge, so close to the election, opens the door to errors, confusion, and the removal of eligible voters,” said Wendy Weiser, Director of the Democracy Program. “The Department of Justice was correct in raising a concern about this process.  The Sunshine State cannot continue to operate its election process in darkness.”

“Fortunately, many local election administrators have indicated they will not carry out the state’s plan. The opportunity for errors when conducting massive voter purges makes it imperative that purge practices be transparent, accurate, and carried out well in advance of an election. Only then can mistakes be corrected in time for a voter to cast a ballot that will count,” added Democracy Senior Counsel Myrna Pérez. “Consistent and uniform implementation of best practices will go a long way in ensuring that eligible voters are not thrown off the rolls by a stroke of the keyboard.”

For more information on Florida’s voter purge, read this blog post from Brennan Center Senior Counsel Myrna Pérez.

To set up an interview, contact Desiree Ramos Reiner at desiree.reiner@nyu.edu or 646–292–8321.