Privileges and Elections Committee members - vote yes for SB 582 and SB688.

I am urging you — strongly — to support SB582 and SB688. SB582 is about dignity. No eligible voter should lose their ballot because of a correctable technical error. Transparency, timely notification, and a real opportunity to cure mistakes are not favors to voters — they are obligations in a democracy. If we say every vote matters, then our systems must reflect that promise in action. SB688 goes to the heart of what is distorting our democracy: unlimited money and concentrated power. The damage from Citizens United and related rulings is not theoretical. It has weakened public trust, amplified the influence of wealth over voters, and fueled cynicism about whose voices truly count. Establishing reasonable limits — even contingently — is a statement that Virginia refuses to normalize a system where money speaks louder than people. This is a defining moment. We either protect access and accountability, or we accept erosion. I ask you to lead. Move these bills forward.

I am writing in to share my strong support of this bill. Every eligible voter deserves the opportunity to have their vote counted, and administrative errors or omissions should not silently disenfranchise Virginians who made every effort to participate in our democracy. This bill takes meaningful, practical steps toward that goal. By requiring registrars to proactively notify voters of errors on provisional and absentee ballots and extending cure deadlines to the Monday following the election, the Commonwealth is ensuring that the burden of technical mistakes does not fall entirely on voters. The requirement that absentee ballot status, including rejection reasons, be updated daily and made accessible through a public system is a commonsense transparency measure that builds voter confidence and allows campaigns and advocates to assist constituents in a timely way. These reforms are not partisan. They are procedural. They strengthen the integrity of our elections by ensuring that the outcome reflects the will of eligible voters, not the casualty of paperwork errors. I urge the committee to advance this bill without delay.

Please support SB 582 and 688.