VA NAACP HB 1003,1177,943,43,1172,942,1408,441,565 WE do not support HB463,hb932,

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The League of Women Voters’ mission is to Empower Voters/Defend Democracy. The LWV of Virginia supports and welcomes no-excuse early voting to empower voters to participate in the voting process. We recognize that in-person early voting has been implemented in many different ways in different localities and that it is time to provide standards to ensure that all voters are equitably enabled to cast a ballot during the early in-person voting period. The question of number and locations for satellite voting is complex and varies based on a county or city’s geographic size, population distribution, public transportation options, general registrars’ office location within the locality, voting patterns, and underserved communities. Chapter 18 of the GREB (General Registrar and Electoral Board) Handbook provides guidance for operation of satellite locations but only states that localities “may” establish them. No standards or Code exist to require or provide guidance for the number or placement of satellite locations. Three bills before this committee HB942, HB1172, HB1408, offer opportunities to set standards to broaden the access of voters to early voting at satellite locations. HB1408 requires a standard developed by the Department of Elections. Standards exist for many aspects of elections and the number and distribution of satellite voting locations should be no exception. Standards can be very detailed descriptions of various scenarios and how the number and location of satellites should be determined in each. The League supports passage of this bill. HB1172 sets a minimum of one satellite (operating in addition to the Registrar’s office) during the early voting period for any county or city with a population over 50,000. The League supports this attempt to set a minimum number of satellite locations but has concerns that it might not be adequate for all localities based on geographic size, population distribution, and underrepresented or underserved communities. HB942 addresses several satellite location concerns. The League supports language requiring consideration of proximity to public transportation, parking, proximity to historically underrepresented or underserved communities, population distribution, and the needs of tribal organizations. The League recommends that the bill be amended to establish guidance on the number of satellite locations. Additionally, the League supports the bill’s rules limiting the use of police or sheriff offices for all voting locations including satellites and requiring tribal voting locations. Thank you for considering our input in support of Virginia’s voters.