With the U.S. Presidential election approaching, concerns have emerged over efforts to purge voter rolls in key battleground states. The Department of Justice is investigating potential violations of federal rules regarding registered voter lists.

This development comes as voters digest the recent unsealing of an indictment against former President Donald Trump by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan. The 165-page document details instances where Trump allegedly promoted false claims about voter fraud causing his election loss, despite evidence to the contrary.

Experts from Northwestern University are offering insights into voter suppression and its impact on elections. Tabitha Bonilla, an associate professor at Northwestern, highlights concerns about removing voters from rolls, particularly when it affects specific groups disproportionately. "Removing voters from voter rolls is concerning when it disproportionately targets certain types of voters," Bonilla states. She notes that this practice often impacts voters of color and older individuals more than others.

Alvin B. Tillery Jr., a professor at Northwestern and director of the Center for the Study of Diversity and Democracy, emphasizes the historical context of voter suppression against Black Americans in the U.S. "Voter suppression against Black voters has a long and troubling history in the United States," Tillery explains. He points out that gaining franchise rights was pivotal in the civil rights movement and underscores changes following a Supreme Court decision in 2013 that affected minority voting protections.

Tillery also comments on current political dynamics: "We now stand at a point in history where the Republican Party as an entity has been given the greenlight by a Supreme Court packed with radical rightwing judges to suppress the voting rights."

Michael Kang, another expert from Northwestern specializing in election law, is available for interviews through Shanice Harris.