South Dakota kicks 273 ‘noncitizens’ off its voter rolls even with general election voting underway

Associated Press

South Dakota’s top elections official has removed hundreds of people from the state’s voter rolls even with voting in next month’s general election already underway. Republican Secretary of State Monae Johnson says the move was necessary to defend the integrity of the election. But critics, including the American Civil Liberties Union of South Dakota, say it violates a federal law and that it could disenfranchise valid voters who are naturalized U.S. citizens. The ACLU has called for the 273 voters to be reinstated. Similar controversies over registered voters being removed from voter rolls have arisen in other states, including Ohio and Virginia.