HR5707-119

What This Bill Does

The Voter Purge Protection Act creates a new National Voter Registration Act section governing when states may remove registered voters from federal-election rolls. States may not remove a registrant unless they verify ineligibility using objective and reliable evidence. Failure to vote, failure to respond to a notice unless the notice is returned undeliverable, and failure to take other voting-related actions cannot count as objective and reliable evidence. Within 48 hours after removing a registrant for any reason, states must send the former registrant notice stating the grounds for removal and how to contest or reinstate registration, including a phone number for the relevant election official, except for written confirmations of ineligibility and death removals. Within 48 hours after any general list-maintenance program, states must provide public notice through reasonable methods, including newspapers or election websites, telling voters to check registration status. That public notice must be accessible to voters with disabilities, including low-vision and blind voters. States also may not send residence-change notices unless they have objective and reliable evidence of a move outside the jurisdiction.

Who Benefits and How

Registered voters benefit because states must have objective and reliable evidence before removing them from federal-election rolls. Voters who rarely vote benefit because inactivity alone cannot justify removal. Voters with disabilities benefit because public list-maintenance notices must be reasonably convenient and accessible. Voting rights organizations benefit from clearer federal standards for contesting purge practices.

Who Bears the Burden and How

State election officials must verify evidence, send 48-hour individual notices, publish accessible public notices, and update list-maintenance procedures. Local election officials must provide contest and reinstatement information, including phone contacts. State voter-roll maintenance vendors must adjust matching and notice workflows to avoid prohibited inactivity-based removals. Election litigation teams may face more disputes over whether evidence is objective and reliable.

Key Provisions

• Requires objective and reliable evidence before a state removes a voter from federal-election rolls.
• Bars nonvoting, failure to respond to notices, and other inactivity from serving as removal evidence.
• Requires 48-hour individual notices with grounds, contest procedures, reinstatement information, and election official phone numbers.
• Requires public, accessible notice within 48 hours after general list-maintenance programs.
• Limits residence-change notices to cases supported by objective and reliable evidence.