I am the Chair of the Hampton Board. I am submitting this comment personally and not on behalf of my Board. I like this Bill. The current window for closing the registration books is too long and unnecessarily increases the number provisional ballots. This bill will allow more eligible people to register and vote a traditional ballot (as opposed to having to cast their vote provisionally)

The Norfolk Office of Elections is in support of HB1735 which will extend the deadline for voter registration to 10 days prior to the election. This will reduce the number of Same Day Registrations and Provisional Ballots cast during early voting. As home to two universities and the world’s largest naval base, we were inundated with Sane Day Registrations and Provisional ballots in the November 2024 Presidential Election. We hope that with this bill and continued education within the community, people will register before the deadline and exercise their right to vote. Thank you for your consideration.

If this bill is being submitted in response to the overwhelming number of same day registrations (SDRs) that made up most of the provisional ballots across the Commonwealth - with over 89,000 SDRs done on election day, with most occurred in college towns, - then this bill should not be moved forward. There is no research that has been shared thus far that would lead to the conclusion that this would be changed as long as prospective voters can register and vote up to and including Election Day. Further, as mentioned above, most SDRs occurred in college towns as stated by the Election Commissioner. Shouldn't the question be whether there should be a final day for registration prior to Election Day? If that is not to be discussed, then a study should be greenlit with a focus on college towns.

HB 1735 (Coles) The League of Women Voters of Virginia supports HB1735. This bill would allow eligible citizens the opportunity to register to vote for an additional 11 days before an election and still cast a regular ballot, whether voting in-person during early voting, by absentee ballot, or on election day. More voters would avoid having to cast provisional ballots. As we all know, the same day registration process plays a vital role to enfranchise eligible citizens, but the rule adds burdens to everyone involved--voters and election officials alike.

Oppose. This bill does nothing to reduce the abuse of Same Day Registration which creates unnecessary burden on volunteers on election day. It is the duty of the Registrar to register people in their locality after receiving extensive training on the law. To place that burden on community volunteer on election day is abusive. This bill will do nothing to alleviate the problems caused while at the same time fails to provide for adequate vetting of registration changes that would allow for the casting of a live ballot so close to the election. It is pretty obvious that the patron of this bill has not attended a canvass where the mountain of SDRs submitted by lazy voters who utilized election day SDR as a registration of first choice and cause long hours for our registrars and Electoral Board Members. If you care about elections and the people who do the work of elections, then vote no on this bill unless the patron submits an amendment to concurrently restrict eliminate election day SDRs.

The Virginia Education Association's Legislative Committee has taken a position of Support for HB1735.