Case Summary
LWV Michigan moved to intervene on behalf of voters in a federal lawsuit brought by the RNC seeking to purge the state’s vote rolls for alleged violations of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).
Section 8 of the NVRA requires states to, “conduct a general program that makes a reasonable effort to remove the names of ineligible voters from the official lists of eligible voters” because said voters have died or moved. The law does not define what constitutes a “reasonable effort.”
On March 13, 2024, the Republican National Committee (RNC) and two individual voters filed a federal lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, alleging the Michigan Secretary of State, responsible for statewide voter list maintenance, was in violation of Section 8 of the NVRA. The complaint argued that the large number of inactive voters, low number of removals from the voter rolls, and low number of mailings to confirm voters’ addresses, among other factors, indicated the state was out of compliance with the NVRA.
On April 4, 2024, the League of Women Voters of Michigan filed a motion to intervene to prevent wrongful purges of voters from the rolls and impairment of the League’s voter education and registration efforts.
The League was represented in this matter by the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP.
LWV Timeline
RNC files lawsuit
The Republican National Committee files a lawsuit, alleging the Michigan Secretary of State is violating Section 8 of the NVRA by failing to remove enough ineligible voters from the rolls.
LWV Michigan moves to intervene
LWV Michigan moves to intervene in the case, seeking to protect voters from wrongful purges and injury to its missions of voter education and registration.
Court dismisses case
The court grants defendants' motion to dismiss, finding that neither the individual plaintiffs nor the RNC have standing to bring the lawsuit. The League's motion to intervene is also dismissed as moot.
Sixth Circuit affirms dismissal
A three-judge panel of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals affirms the district court's dismissal of the case for lack of diversion of resources standing.