Election Laws Study

The League of Women Voters of Virginia's May 2009 Convention adopted a two-year update study and review of its positions on Virginia's election laws. During the first year of the study, members looked at voter registration, provisions for voting by military and overseas voters, and the governmental structure responsible for administering elections in the Commonwealth. During the second year, it looked at laws, policies and procedures affecting elections in Virginia--both prior to and at the polls on Election Day. To see the positions reached by League members as a result of their study see the Election Law Position 2011.

To assist members in conducting their review, a LWV-VA study committee prepared the following two publications, which should also be of interest to members of the general public:

• Election Laws Study Part 1

• Election Laws Study Part 2

Members and others interested in this topic will also find helpful information at:

• Current Code of Virginia (Elections)

• Virginia State Board of Elections

• The Brennan Center for Justice

• National Conference of State Legislatures

• The Pew Center on the States

• The Pew Center on States' Election Initiatives

To find the status of elections law changes proposed at the Virginia General Assembly go to: The Virginia General Assembly Legislative Information System

Major actions included:

• House and Senate bills providing for no-excuse absentee voting (including no-excuse absentee voting for those 65 and older) died in the House Privileges and Elections (P&E) Committee.

• Senator Barker's bill to provide for court-ordered extension of polling place hours in the event of an emergency died in the House P&E Committee.

• A bill to allow localities to acquire DRE voting machines from any source in order to provide for voter accessibility was enacted for a limited time.

• Delegate Greason's bill that would allow listing on the ballot the political party of candidates for local offices in Loudoun County died in the House P&E Committee.

• A bill was enacted providing that when electronic pollbooks fail to operate and no alternative list is available, the officers of election are to provide provisional ballots to and maintain a written list of those voting.

• House and Senate bills that would have eliminated or changed some types of allowable voter identification and eliminated use of the Oath of Affirmation for persons not having identification, requiring the use of provisional ballots in its place, died in the Senate P&E Committee.

• A bill making a slight change in the time period for which absentee ballots are automatically sent to UOCAVA voters using the FPCA was enacted.

To find out about League of Women Voters of the US activity in regard to this issue, go to:

• LWVUS Website - Take Action Center

To find out about League of Women Voters of Virginia activity in regard to this issue, you may contact:

• Therese Martin at PAVPCoordinator@lwv-va.org

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: December 2, 2011 00:25 PST.

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