On Wednesday, a federal court in Ohio ruled that Secretary of State Jon Husted could not rely on half measures that do little to right the proven wrongs of the state’s massive—and illegal—purge of voters. The court instructed the state to instead protect voters’ rights and let them know what they might encounter this Election Day.

Minister Leslie Watson Malachi, director of the African American Ministers Leadership Council at People For the American Way Foundation, released the following statement:

“This is a victory not only for Ohio voters but also for our democratic system. Illegally purging voters from the rolls undermines the most fundamental right we have as Americans. And the fact that African Americans and low-income people were disproportionately purged makes it all the more outrageous.

“Our elected leaders should be looking for ways to engage more people in the democratic process, not trying to block people from casting a ballot. We applaud the court’s decision protecting the rights of these voters who were wrongfully targeted.”

###