LINCOLN - Attorney General Hilgers joined attorneys general from 26 states in filing an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to allow Virginia to remove non-citizens from its voter roll.

 

"Election integrity starts with safeguarding the ballot box. Our brief calls on the Supreme Court to let states enforce our own election rules that don't allow non-citizens to vote. By expediting this case, the Court can help promote a free and fair election, so that all Americans know that their voices will be heard," said Attorney General Hilgers.

 

The brief argues that a preliminary injunction that halted the state of Virginia from removing self-identified non-citizens from its rolls undermines a state's authority to determine voter qualifications. Virginia's law provides mechanisms to protect election integrity while ensuring only U.S. citizens remain on voter rolls.

 

"The upcoming election is hotly contested and has caused division around the country. Perhaps the division would be lower if the federal government were not interfering with the election via last-minute attacks on state efforts to police voter qualifications," the amicus brief reads.

 

The Eastern District of Virginia Court's recent decision to temporarily stop Virginia from removing non-citizens from its rolls will result in Congress forcing a state to allow non-citizens to vote in an election over the objection of that state. "Non-citizens are not eligible voters. They were not eligible voters before Congress passed the National Voter Registration Act, they were not eligible when Congress passed the NVRA, and they are not eligible today," the amicus brief reads.

 

In addition to Nebraska, attorneys general from 25 other states joined the brief. They include attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wyoming.