CHARLESTON – The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case regarding a state’s actions in maintaining voter registration lists.
West Virginia, along with 14 other states, petitioned the court in support of Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted in March. The Supreme Court announced its agreement to hear the case on May 30.
The case, Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute, will consider sections in the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and the Help America Vote Act of 2002.
The Supreme Court plans to review the two provisions regarding how a name can be removed from the list.
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and Secretary of State Mac Warner released a joint statement Tuesday announcing the Supreme Court’s decision.
“Keeping voter lists as accurate as possible is crucial for maintaining the integrity of elections in the Mountain State,” Morrisey said. “The process used to monitor the accuracy of voter rolls in West Virginia and Ohio falls in line with federal law.”
State law requires counties to mail a confirmation notice to people who have not voted in any election during four calendar years or who have not updated their voter registration.
“The review by the Supreme Court should confirm that regular, reasonable and ongoing maintenance to voter files is an important tool in reducing the potential for fraud,” Warner said.
The sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Ohio in September 2016 because the state was using an individual’s lack of voting to send out confirmation notices.
The 15 states include Georgia, Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia.
The states are seeking clarity regarding their obligations under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993.
U.S. Supreme Court of Appeals case number: 16-980
