Periodically a story about voter suppression jumps into the national news. Georgia’s massive anti-voting law in 2021 led Major League Baseball to pull its All-Star Game from Atlanta. Right-wing vigilantes staking out drop boxes while wearing body armor sparked outrage. States banning people from handing out food and water to voters waiting in long lines have been the subject of ridicule.
More often, however, voter suppression takes place below the public consciousness. Removing voters from the rolls — either via purge, lawsuit or challenge — is perhaps the best example of how this happens. While some massive purges receive attention, most removals are done without notice.
Removing voters is part of the background noise of election administration — it is like the quiet hum of a light bulb with a worn-out ballast.
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