RICHMOND, VA — Civil-rights groups including the NAACP and the Advancement Project have filed a federal lawsuit accusing Virginia election officials of unlawfully rejecting student voter registration forms. The suit alleges that local registrars across several universities have been discarding applications missing dormitory or campus mailbox information, even though such details are not required on Virginia’s official registration form.
The complaint argues this practice violates the federal Materiality Provision, which prohibits disenfranchising voters over immaterial paperwork errors, as well as constitutional protections for equal access to the ballot. The Virginia Department of Elections, according to the lawsuit, has failed to clarify its policy regarding these rejections.
Universities cited include Norfolk State, Virginia State, George Mason, James Madison, Old Dominion, the University of Richmond, and Virginia Commonwealth. A Brennan Center for Justice study previously found that students often face barriers tied to residence and mailing addresses when registering to vote.
With statewide elections approaching, the plaintiffs warn that rejecting these forms could suppress youth turnout. John Powers, Legal Director of the Advancement Project, said the policy threatens to disenfranchise thousands of Virginia college students. The groups are seeking an emergency order to prevent further rejections.
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