Public Comments for 01/25/2022 Privileges and Elections - Election Administration
HB46 - Voter identification; identification containing a photograph required.
I strongly support the requirement for a photo ID for voter registration and voting (HB46) This is a common sense, no hassle safeguard to defeat fraud. Similarly, we should ELIMINATE same day registration (HB185). There is simply no way to instantaneously verify that a person is who they claim to be. Furthermore, this imposes a huge, unnecessary burden on election officials or those who may be tasked with a forensic audit, etc. I support the reduction of the early voting period (HB39). Two weeks is adequate for those who must be out of town on business, etc. I support limitations on large amounts of outside funding (HB 205). American elections SHOULD NOT be for sale. As a retired Marine officer and current elections official, I am astounded that sober politicians persist in trying to subvert the Constitution (to which they took an oath) and enable voter fraud through the practices as listed above, as well as ballot harvesting and use of unsecured drop boxes! Through its lack of good judgment and integrity, persons on the Loudoun County School Board have already made us a nationally known laughingstock. Let's pray that similarly minded people in the State Senate DON'T expand our shame by opening our election processes open to rampant fraud.
I'm a Virginian in favor of safeguarding the election process. Since I am an Arlington county election officer, I know that preventing election fraud requires voters to be citizens verifiable by free voter ID and a verifiable pre-election day registration process. 14 days is plenty of time to vote. Same day voter registration is wrong because there is no way to verify eligibility and identity. The 45 day election season is an expensive use of taxpayer dollars for election operations. The longer election period provides greater opportunity for fraud and abuse by felons, identity thieves, or illegal inhabitants. It also is burdensome to unpaid poll watchers and other election operations volunteers. Increased demands on the postal service to deliver absentee ballots is asking for chaos and mass disenfranchisement. Election results will take longer to tabulate if there is a massive amount of mail-in voting. Absentee ballots make it much easier to forge a signature, impersonate a voter, or buy a vote in the privacy of one’s home than it is in a voting booth at the polls where oversight occurs. These are common sense election procedures.
I support HB 46. Preventing election fraud requires voters to be citizens verifiable by free voter ID and a verifiable pre election day registration process.
Providing a photo identification is a common expectation to participate is the most mundane aspects of societal life, such as to buy alcohol, cigarettes, board an airplane, go to the doctor, register children into schools, get a library card, work for any employer, and of course to drive a car. Voting is a privilege granted to citizens and residents of VA. Requiring a photo ID is not burdensome and should be expected. I've worked as an election official. At no time during early voting or on election day did any voters complain about showing their ID. Polling shows that the vast majority of Americans want photo identification requirements in order to receive a ballot. Support HB46!
Please move to report HB68, HB46, HB1082.
I am opposed to the portion of HB 46 that eliminates the permanent absentee voter list. It's a relatively small number of voters who use this process and most have a disability or mobility issue. Requiring them to submit a request for each election is an undue and unnecessary hardship. Please do not institute this provision and make life harder for people who already have to deal with challenges.
Please vote yes on HB46. I helped recruit election officers and poll watchers for last year’s November elections and 45 days of early voting is crazy! Now 21 days is still a lot but it’s much better. This ridiculous early voting month and a half is costing local registrars offices MILLIONS and cannot be maintained. This early voting for a month and a half HAS GOT TO GO! Thank you.
Distinguished Committee, I am writing in support of a YES vote on House Bill 46. I’ve been an election official ever since I became a citizen. Working in the last 2 elections felt like a slap in the face. Here I am getting up at 4 am, having arranged childcare for 17 hrs for my kids (single mom), forfeiting my income for the day, to support the democratic process, and I have to let people cast a ballot w/o an ID! Once a ballot is cast, you can never find it again. Thus dishonest people are protected and honest citizens' vote is diluted. By allowing people w/o ID to cast a PROVISIONAL ballot instead all interest are protected. This makes the situation as inclusive as possible (anybody who has a right to vote can vote, even w/o an ID, and can verify their status later) and as honest as possible (people who did not have a right to vote will not be able to verify their status later). Thus, all citizens are protect, nobody is disenfranchised, and nobody’s vote is diluted. A No vote is not a vote to protect immigrants, I am perfectly able to get an ID, it’s a vote to protect the ability of those who want to commit fraud, to do so. Please vote YES. Sincerely, c.l.
Please uphold the integrity of our elections and require Photo ID in order to vote. I'm in favor of HB46.
My name is Michael Rivera and I live in Leesburg Virginia. I am the minority that many people talk about like I am not in the room. My parents were born in Puerto Rico, I was born in the United States. I have had an ID since I was 14 years old despite growing up poor and my father not being able to speak English. It is incredibly insulting for anyone to declare that requiring a voter ID is a significant obstacle for black and brown people as if somehow your color determines your intellectual capacity. We are currently requiring cell phone apps and vaccine passports for people to eat with their families yet it’s somehow a burden to require an ID to exercise the most valuable and sacred right of being an American citizen. It is unfathomable to me how any elected politician can vote not to this bill and say that they are upholding their oath to protect and defend the constitution. Please vote YES on HB46
I work help desk in my local precinct. I can't believe the number of voters that come in to vote only to find out that they have been issued an absentee ballot. They don't know where the ballot is, did not request it and can't understand why they either have to come up with the absentee ballot or vote provisional. Oh yes, they understand provisional and want no part of it. REPEAL THE PERMANENT ABSENTEE VOTER LIST NOW!! This is a no brainer that we should all be able to agree on!! JWV
Eliminating barriers to voting is important. It is unnecessary and unhelpful to require a photo ID or make it more challenging to vote absentee.
I have worked the polls as both an elections officier and a poll watcher. I have sat in on Dept of Elections meetings- i have seen and learned much. I am very concerned about the ability of fraud to infiltrate pur election processes. These things ate mandatory to improve them: Voter ID; mandatory and proper id with photo like your drivers license.. PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP. Repeal the permanent absentee voter list; Ballots should be received by the close of polls on election day; NO SAME-DAY REGISTRATION. Demand CLEAN VOTER ROLLS. Demand audits- regularly. In every aspect of the process.
I work as a check in officer in my local precinct. Of the people that walk in and vote on election day, virtually all voters expect to present a picture ID. The vast majority present a drivers license. Case and point: Voters expect to present a picture ID to vote and do not complain. The NO ID requirement seems to be a legislative requirement! Stick to Election Integrity and require picture ID. JWV
Please move to report HJ9, HB130, HB605, HJ57, HB46, HB305, HB1102. Thank you.
We the people have right to vote and assure the vote is fair and represents the legal voters intent. This can only be done if the voters present picture ID proving they are who they claim to be. This is a reasonable expectation. As an election official - 100% of those voting at my precinct had picture ID. NO One claimed they were unable to obtain an ID. NO ONE
Correcting our laws so that a Photo ID is a requirement to vote is hugely important. Polling shows that over +75% of the nation agrees with that sentiment and we need to return Virginia to this standard to allow voting. We cannot allow people to appear before an election official with no photo identification and expect to be able to vote - our most precious privilege. As adults, we must show a photo ID, usually in the form of a driver's license, to enable us to do many things - buy alcohol, cash a check, deposit cash into a bank account, board a plane. We need to apply the same standard for these everyday actions to voting as well. The possibly for fraudulent voting is exponentially increased if voters are not required to show a photo ID. We must restore this standard to our voting processes if we are ever to restore public confidence in our election processes. Requiring a photo ID to vote will go a long way in increasing election integrity. We need to remove the option of registering to vote coincident with voting itself. Citizens must accept voting for the privilege and responsibility that it is - register ahead of time, inform themselves about the candidates and the issues, and show up in person and vote. We cannot allow arbitrary "conveniences" to supersede responsibility. Ballots must be received by Election Day. Voters must be responsible enough when requesting and mailing in Absentee Ballots to ensure they are received by Election Day. Similar to pre-registering and showing a photo ID, voters need to accept voting as the right and responsibility that it is. Voters should be responsible enough to be mindful of Election Day to request and return their ballots by the close of voting. Lastly, we must make voters request a ballot EACH TIME they need to vote absentee - voters should not be placed on a "forever" absentee ballot list to receive an absentee ballot. They should have to request a ballot for each election and there should be only a few acceptable allowable reasons for voting absentee - e.g., military, diplomatic, and ex-patriots living and working abroad should be able to request a mail-in absentee ballot. We need to do all we can to remove the possible causes of voter fraud and expect citizens to step up to their responsibilities for voting. Many of our laws were hastily changed due to transmission concerns surrounding COVID. Those laws need to be revoked and we should return to previous voting standards and protocols to reinstate voter integrity and voter confidence.
This selecting a "pronoun" is totall unacceptable. We know what we are and identify by our name or gender, which is only male" or "female." This other type of identification is total BS.
Please uphold election integrity and vote in favor of HB 46. THANK YOU!
Voter ID required, limit mail in ballots, no drop boxes, cutoff for registration to vote 2 -3 weeks prior, citizens only, clean voter registration polls weekly, modify length of residency to qualify to register
I just want to express my support for Del. Ware's HB46 bill to restore some pre-pandemic rationality to the election processes. Loosening up voter integrity laws does nothing but promote irregularities. There was nothing wrong with the laws that existed before the Democrats promoted relaxing these laws in order to introduce corruption. Thank you, RJ Hall Leesburg
We must restore confidence in our electoral process. As an Election Officer for Loudoun County, I support mandatory voter ID with pictures; limited absentee balloting and certainly no permanent absentee ballot list; no same day registration; and no drop boxes. Furthermore, all ballots must be received by the close of the polls on election day or they don’t count. Finally, we must reduce the length of early voting from 45 days to two weeks.
I am in FAVOR of HB46 for the following is NEEDED: Voter ID; Repeal the permanent absentee voter list; Ballots should be received by the close of polls on election day; NO SAME-DAY REGISTRATION!!! Thank you
I am providing feedback on HB46, HB121, HB1109. HB1101. As a Virginia resident I am in favor of the following election integrity initiatives: voter ID with a photograph, against same-day voter registration, ballots should be received by the close of polls on election day, and repeal the permanent absentee voter list.
Good morning Mr. Chairman, I am speaking in favor of HB46 by Delegate Lee Ware. My name is Srilekha Palle. I am an immigrant and have been living in the United States for over 2 decades. I am a mom, health care professional and active member of my diverse community. I migrated to United States looking for true democracy and I strongly believe that election integrity is the heart and soul of our democracy Without Election Integrity, We the People do not trust the process and Trust is the foundation of this great nation. I cannot fathom going anywhere and doing anything in the US without a valid photo ID. For that matter this statement is quite accurate in all the democratic counties in the world. When I am asked to show my driver's ID in every aspect of my life all day, why does showing a valid ID become an issue only when it comes to voting?. What stops an illegal immigrant fraudulently voting for a legal immigrant like me due to lack of ID requirement? How can you let people vote with a utility bill? Where is the picture to verify that it is you who you say you are? As a person of color and a woman, it is beyond me to understand why politicians consider this as racist. When a government official asks me to show my ID, I would never think it's racist. In fact it is the other way around. I consider it as a racist if the official assumes that just because I am a woman of color, I am incapable of procuring an ID for myself. When I am asked to show my ID, it instills confidence in me that they are protecting my individual identification. · . I am the Vice chair of our party elections; It is quite challenging to carry on the operations that start the early voting onwards 45 days. I would urge you to consider 7 days vs 45 days of early voting as 45 days of early voting is expensive and unnecessary. I would end by saying that A voter ID requirement can help prevent accidental voting at the wrong location, impersonation fraud, and unintentional inaccuracies in the voting record and voter roll. · I urge you as the Virginia legislature and Governor Youngkin to take action to protect our election integrity, especially, the election in 2022 and put trust back among people Thank you very much With Regards Srilekha Palle
Please vote in favor of HB 46. It is the sworn duty of all legislators to ensure that all registered voters in the Commonwealth of Virginia receive a fair election. Providing a valid driver's license or other valid identification with a photograph will be a good START at ensuring a valid vote. Our voting regulations have to be shored up in order for Virginians to regain faith in our election integrity, something we do not currently have. Republicans and Democrats alike should not only be WILLING, but should DEMAND that we do everything possible to see that our elections are fair and only true registered voters cast a ballot. If there is even ONE elected legislator who doesn't believe this, then he/she should be kicked out of office immediately by his/her constituents. Legislators are elected and paid to work for the benefit of his/her constituents; not to benefit him or herself.
Please vote YES on HB46 requiring voter identification containing a photograph. As an female who serves as an Election Official, I can attest to the positive comments I heard repeatedly while checking voters in to vote that we verify their ID prior to them receiving a ballot. Everyone presented a driver's license without even being asked to. Requiring a photo ID is basic and should be required for participating in our most sacred duty as a citizen, voting. This is not discriminatory in any way.
The Virginia State Conference NAACP opposes this legislation and other bill that would create barriers to the voting process. This bill would roll back reforms created recently by the general assembly. We call on members of this committee to reject this HB46.
I am an Election Official and fully support HB46 and ask you to vote yes . Showing a picture ID is essential to protect everyone from someone else casting an illegal vote posing as that citizen. Even when we ask someone to state their name & address to check out voter roll registry, citizens gladly produce their drivers license to us. Anybody can steal a piece of mail or make up a dummy bill to present if they are trying to cast a vote using someone else’s identity. Especially with voter history being readily online, it is too easy without a picture ID to cast a vote for a “seldom” but registered voter and I have witnessed this myself, that a woman came to vote and someone beat her to the polls and cast a vote in her name just because they stated the correct name & address! Please support this bill and vote “yes” on HB46 voter ID.
I am 100% in favor of HB46. This bill does nothing to make it harder for eligible citizens to vote. It just makes it harder to cheat. Many say there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in Virginia, but that is not the issue. Any voter fraud is too much voter fraud. Let me assure you that there is evidence of voter fraud and it is reported by the local registrars. Whether it is prosecuted depends entirely on the local Commonwealth's Attorney. As a Chief Election Officer for many years, I’ve seen many instances of voters trying to cheat. Due to a well trained and impartial staff of Election Officers we have thwarted most of their attempts. The ID Confirmation (or “I am who I say I am) form is “enforced” by a felony charge. But I ask you to provide me with any way that a person can ever be found and charged with a felony. They don’t put their truthful information on the form, so there is absolutely no way to find them. Of course, I’m sure the legislators that came up with that bill, were well aware of that fact. Photo ID is required for almost everything. Doctor’s visits Emergency room visits Check cashing Certain purchases Certain transportation Renting a residence Getting a job Getting Covid-19 vaccine Library Picking up mail at the post office And on and on….. It is not difficult nor expensive to obtain a picture ID. In Virginia the Office of the General Registrar in each locality must provide citizens with a picture ID. Also, 45 day early voting is ridiculous. In the spring if 2021 primary election, we had fewer than 20 voters per day for the first three weeks. It gradually increased and on the next to last day of early voting we had approximately 85 voters and we finally went barely over 100 on the last day. Paying 10-12 election officials $125/day and the chief $150/day was extremely expensive. And this is only one of hundreds (thousands?) of locations state wide. And that’s just the cost for election officials. Of course the state doesn’t care because the localities pay the largest portion of the cost. I feel that one week early voting in primaries and 2-3 weeks in the general election is more than enough. Please consider these issues when voting on HB46.
I support photo identification for voting. As an election officer who checks voters in during both early voting and on Election Day, almost everyone who comes in to vote in-person, wants to show a photo ID. I have yet to see anyone complain about needing to show an ID. I guarantee that the number of persons who go to vote and find that they are listed as having already voted exceeds the number of persons who want to vote without photo identification.
I speak from experience as a Election Officer in the 2021 election. I became involved in the election system to give myself peace of mind that our elections are fair and secure, and this is my largest concern/issue. Without a unique photo identification for comparison to the person voting, the election officers at the voting precinct are left with only a name, and an address to verify the identity of the voter. If the voter has an illegal intent to vote for someone else, they need only remember the name and address of a person they know to be a registered voter. If the ballot they cast is provisional, then only a name and a passing signature which is not difficult to mimic in this digital age. Regurgitating names, address', and mimicking signatures are not a strong enough guard against willfully fraudulent voters anymore. Photo identifications can be obtained easily from many sources at zero cost that are on the list of accepted forms of ID. While many different forms of identification are acceptable IAW Virginia's current Voter ID requirements (See included PDF attachment below), Some forms of ID currently accepted can be stolen from mailboxes, picked up from trash, or harvested from unsecure locations, or simply given to another person who is willing to cast a vote in their place, such as a friend or family member. Legally, I can "prove" my identity to vote with a water or electric bill. Not requiring picture ID removes the last line of defense available to election officers who are there to work for the State, guarding against fraudulent voting. This is unacceptable and I believe Virginia does itself a great disservice by allowing same day registration, and the ability to vote without picture ID's. I support Voter ID with a photo 100%.
I strongly support this bill. Verifying and maintaining the integrity of our elections is one of, if not the most important functions of legitimate government. If there are actual issues with localities or communities that need better access to obtain legitimate ID's, those can and should be addressed separately and not handled by reducing or removing safeguards on the election process. Likewise issues for voter access to absentee ballots, or early voting locations can be addressed without hampering election security, chain of custody or election data integrity.
Hi, I am Sami Watson, Field Coordinator with Hamkae Center. We work with Asian American voters across the state and we oppose House Bill 46. Many Americans do not have a valid photo ID, and research has shown that restrictive identification requirements disproportionately impact elderly, minority, and low-income voters. Despite being the fastest growing ethnic voting bloc in the state and the country, AAPI voters may be deterred from casting a ballot due to the cost and time needed to acquire a valid photo ID in order to vote. Acceptable ID should include other forms of non-photo identification and voters should be able to cast a regular ballot by signing an ID confirmation statement, subject to felony penalty. Thank you.
Election Integrity guarantees our voice is heard and the we can trust the system. It is foundational to the backbone of this country. It has been my astonishing revelation that this most SACRED of all abilities - believed to be held UP- in such esteem and REVERENCE yet in reality is trampled upon, disrespected and disgraced , given away with no value whatsoever in order to game the system. It is totally and completely unprotected. IT is UNTRUE. This reminds me of the snake oil salesmen who came into towns in the early days selling fakery and un-truths. As the American people come learn the truth - it IS happening now folks, make no mistake, they will ask the leadership to answer for this'd hold you accountable for this bait and switch. WE need real election integrity for LEGAL CITIZENS ONLY. WE NEED PRISTINELY CLEAN VOTER ROLLS. Here is the list of what we must do to repair and restore the trust of the American People. Establish laws enabling forensic audits and voter canvass Repeal same day voter registration Repeal no voter identification Repeal the permanent absentee ballot list Repeal no-excuse AB Repeal 3rd party mailing of AB Repeal ballot harvesting Eliminate AB drop boxes. We also want 1 day of voting, but anything less than 45 days would be better than nothing. Do not accept AB after Election DAY. Repeal pre-registration of 16 year olds Repeal automatic voter registration by DMV Please vote appropriately on ALL bills in support of these goals. Angela Boyer Great Falls Va 22066
I raised my hand to speak in favor of this bill as did other speakers on the Zoom. We were elevated to be able to speak but were never called on and our presence was ignored by the person overseeing the Zoom, the Chair did not call for comments to be shutdown, we were simply ignored while others were allowed to speak. Please correct this in the future. Thank you
Good Morning, My name is Melody Clarke and I am in favor of HB46 by Del. Ware. My mother was a naturalized citizen who was very proud to be an American. She learned our Constitution and instilled her pride for our nation and our laws in me when I was a child. If you love our great Virginia as I do, please support Del. Ware and HB46 because Voter ID laws don’t “suppress” anyone’s vote. Among a variety of minority groups and political affiliations, no significant change in turnout occurred after voter ID laws went into effect. The simple reality is, election fraud often goes undetected; even when it is discovered, investigators and prosecutors often opt to take no action. I am happy to submit both the National Bureau of Economic research and the Heritage study into the record. This latest study echoes the conclusion of others, finding that voter ID laws don’t reduce voter turnout, including among African-Americans and Hispanics. These voters were just as likely to vote in states requiring photo identification as in those that don’t. It is just common sense to make it easy to vote and hard to cheat. I appreciate Del. Ware recognizing this and urge you to show all of Virginia that you care too and vote in favor of HB46. Thank you Here are the pertinent links for my comments and the study https://www.heritage.org/election-integrity/commentary/new-study-confirms-voter-id-laws-dont-hurt-election-turnout https://www.nber.org/papers/w25522
Since there has never been any significant fraud in Virginia elections, we should keep and expand measures that make it easier for all of our citizens to participate the the most sacred of our democratic rights. There is no reason to make access to the ballot box tougher. We need to keep early voting, mail-in ballots, drop boxes, and enough polling places so there are not unreasonable wait times. The more citizens included in this process the stronger their involvement and commitment to their community, state, and nation.
Election Integrity depends on 3 primary things: REAL VOTER ID, the ELIMINATION OF VOTER DROP BOXES and NO ABSENTEE BALLOTS TO BE USED w/ THE exception for military assignments out of state or country.
SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM - Please Reject Confidence that our elections are fair is important. This is the paradox, though: raising alarms about election security, EVEN WHEN THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF CHEATING, is what undermines that confidence. Until you've made the case that there are people voting who shouldn't, or that there is cheating or foul play going on, there is no reason to make it harder to vote, which is what this bill does. We ALL benefit from widespread participation in elections. Making it less convenient and more expensive for people to vote is wrong. Please reject this bill. Thank you.
I support the following: 1) a decreased time-frame for voting from 45 Days to 1 week (7 days), 2) mandating that all voters must present a photo ID, and 3) repealing the provisions of law by which any registered voter may apply to receive absentee ballot for absentia
The VA State Conference doesn't support any voter suppression bills that cause barriers to vote. HB 24 46 185 187 544 780 944 941 942 1090
As a Virginia resident, I am opposed to all of the proposed bills for this session. I am concerned that the restrictions may further challenge low-income Virginians’ ability to participate in elections. Thank you for your consideration.
Please oppose HB24, HB46, and HB185. We should be supporting legislation that expands access to voting and creates a stronger democracy. We all benefit when more people are able to vote and have a direct influence in our democratic process. Requiring photo IDs and limiting same-day voter registration limit participation in our democratic process and do not make our elections more secure.
I am speaking in favor of HB46 by Delegate Lee Ware. My name is Kun Wang and Thirty-two years ago, I came to US from China for the Democratic Constitutionalism and religious freedom we have here in America that I did not have in my country. What make US special among all nations and attract millions of immigrants from all the world? To me, it is Democracy and Constitution. Election integrity is the foundation of Democracy. Without Election Integrity, Congress and the government do not have the trust of the people, therefore, we will lose the United States of America. Because of my love for this country, I was a first-time election officer last year. I was shocked by what I learned and cannot understand why anyone who cares for Virginia would not be in favor of requiring a valid photo ID. As an IT professional and Christian, I have following concerns regarding the election integrity in Virginia: 1. In Virginia, you can vote with an expired driver’s license, a student ID without a valid date or even just with a utility bill. What does that mean? It means the dead people can vote; non-residents can vote; and a young guy can vote for a 90-year-old grandma; and one-person, multiple votes. When boarding a flight, I need to show my driver’s license and have the photo matching with myself. How come we let people vote with a utility bill? It means politicians don’t care about the election integrity, which we the citizens care most about. 2. Name matching and address matching do not matter in Virginia now. As an election officer, I asked voters for their name and address. When the address not matching, we let them vote. When names not matching, for example, middle name mismatching, chief said, that was ok too. Without election integrity, we will lose our democracy and constitutionalism, consequently, lose our religious freedom. I urge you as the Virginia legislature and Governor Youngkin to take action to protect our election integrity, especially, the election in 2022 and put trust back among people. Thank you for taking my testimony. Kun Wang Fairfax, VA
Voting is a right guaranteed to all citizens. Unless ID's to be used for voting are provided easily and free to all eligible voters, voter ID requirements amount to voter suppression. There is no discernible voter fraud in any Virginia elections that would be addressed by these voter ID laws.
Virginia enacted several new voting laws in 2020 and 2021 to make voting more accessible during the pandemic. Early in-person voting hours were increased, mail-in absentee ballots no longer required a witness signature, more drop-box locations were available. These changes led to record voter turnout (with insignificant fraud) in both the 2020 presidential election and the 2021 gubernatorial election. Therefore I oppose any new bill that would restrict our rights to accessible voting.
Do not conflate privileges with rights. It is a privilege to drive, not a right. It also costs a lot of money to become a legal licensed driver. It should not cost any money to exercise a right. There are many citizens in our country who do not need a photo ID because their lives do not center around travel or activities that require an age verification like drinking alcohol. That said, I am not anti-photo ID. Satisfy the following conditions and you can have photo ID: All citizens receive a free citizenship photo ID upon turning 18 or being naturalized. These IDs are available for replacement in every local area that has a Walmart and Dollar General meaning it's as easy to get to as your corner store. This is how vaccination cards work. Getting a Covid-19 vaccination is easy and free and widely available. Make photo identification the same. We will support photo IDs for exercising our right to vote when they are free to citizens and widely available. Until then, voter identification fraud is so infinitesimal that it is statistically insignificant compared to the statistically significant percentage of people that will be disenfranchised for not having a photo ID.
Regarding HB1090, HB942, HB544, HB46, HB24, and HB121 = these voter id bills are actually unnecessary. There is no evidence that people are committing voter fraud on any meaningful scale, even in local elections. Voter ID laws can potentially deprive potential voters of their right to vote and/or reduce participation in local elections. As a conservative, I believe these kinds of laws are actually antithetical to what our country needs to be doing to increase civic participation. People like me have been forced to fill out provisional ballots in prior elections because it takes a while to get a govt photo ID and I know the cost can be prohibitive to people who don't think it's important. We should be making voting as reasonably easy and as low-cost as possible, and we should stop changing laws relating to voter ID and such so much because it can be confusing if this happens every other year. Thank you.
Voting is a constitutional right. Any law that restricts rather than expands our constitutional right & DUTY to vote is simply voter suppression. We must not repeal any expansions of absentee ballots. Do not decrease early voting. - extend the number of days allowed. Do not eliminate any ballot box locations- expand. We have no need to re-register absentee ballots every year. No excuse absentee voting is absolutely crucial. The state must provide easy and free access to voter ID if a photo is required. Since the USPS has slowed considerably, we must keep the 3 day rule for receiving ballots after election day. All local elections must be on Election Day (in Nov). Election Day should be a holiday. Until we do a complete overhaul of campaign finance & eliminate dark money/special interests there must be no restrictions on outreach, education & registration or from where a candidate may collect funds. Voter registration up to and including Election Day is absolutely crucial to ensure all citizens vote. I support all bills expanding our rights and abilities to make voting as easy as possible. I oppose all bills attempting to restrict any access to our ballot and our vote. The process is too important for the elected officials to be able to restrict us from our duty to be informed voters. Keep expanding our rights. Do not restrict, suppress or subvert them.
I oppose HB1090, HB121, HB24, HB46, and HB942, all requiring a photo ID to vote. This is completely unnecessary and serves only to make it more difficult to cast a ballot in the commonwealth. HB1090 in particular is absolutely disgraceful. It would strike current provisions of the law allowing voters with certain disabilities who require assistance in voting to be provided that assistance.
HB185 - Voter registration; registration permitted up to and including the day of the election.
I strongly support the requirement for a photo ID for voter registration and voting (HB46) This is a common sense, no hassle safeguard to defeat fraud. Similarly, we should ELIMINATE same day registration (HB185). There is simply no way to instantaneously verify that a person is who they claim to be. Furthermore, this imposes a huge, unnecessary burden on election officials or those who may be tasked with a forensic audit, etc. I support the reduction of the early voting period (HB39). Two weeks is adequate for those who must be out of town on business, etc. I support limitations on large amounts of outside funding (HB 205). American elections SHOULD NOT be for sale. As a retired Marine officer and current elections official, I am astounded that sober politicians persist in trying to subvert the Constitution (to which they took an oath) and enable voter fraud through the practices as listed above, as well as ballot harvesting and use of unsecured drop boxes! Through its lack of good judgment and integrity, persons on the Loudoun County School Board have already made us a nationally known laughingstock. Let's pray that similarly minded people in the State Senate DON'T expand our shame by opening our election processes open to rampant fraud.
I'm a Virginian in favor of safeguarding the election process. Since I am an Arlington county election officer, I know that preventing election fraud requires voters to be citizens verifiable by free voter ID and a verifiable pre-election day registration process. 14 days is plenty of time to vote. Same day voter registration is wrong because there is no way to verify eligibility and identity. The 45 day election season is an expensive use of taxpayer dollars for election operations. The longer election period provides greater opportunity for fraud and abuse by felons, identity thieves, or illegal inhabitants. It also is burdensome to unpaid poll watchers and other election operations volunteers. Increased demands on the postal service to deliver absentee ballots is asking for chaos and mass disenfranchisement. Election results will take longer to tabulate if there is a massive amount of mail-in voting. Absentee ballots make it much easier to forge a signature, impersonate a voter, or buy a vote in the privacy of one’s home than it is in a voting booth at the polls where oversight occurs. These are common sense election procedures.
Same day voter registration is wrong because there is o way to verify eligibility and identity. Please oppose this bill.
The Virginia State Conference NAACP opposes this bill in its entirety. Same Day voter registration has been implemented in some fashion in nearly 20 states nationwide. Studies have shown that it helps in increase turnout between 3-7% and has no direct benefit to either party in prior studies. This bill seeks to roll back gains made by the legislature to make voting easier for Virginians and more accessible for all. The VSC NAACP calls on members of this committee to reject HB185 and keep Virginia as the beacon of democracy and voting rights in the South.
All bills that will reflect a stronger more secure election in the future. Considering both sides, Trump and Biden, have spoken in regards to those concerns, these should be reported on with bipartisan approval. Thank you.
The League of Women Voters of Virginia opposes the repeal of the same day voter registration law passed last year. Many of us League members serve as officers of election or election observers. In every election at least one voter and often several arrive at our polling places ready, eager, and proud to vote, only to be turned away because the voter had moved, even from just a few miles away. Also, 18 year-olds who did register have quite frequently not shown up in the system, meaning they could not vote even though they were registered. To register at the precinct, voters must show proof of identity, residency, and qualification to vote. If people are eligible to vote in the precinct, they should be allowed to cast their ballots. Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia have same day voter registration. Our research shows that they have implemented it successfully.
Election Integrity guarantees our voice is heard and the we can trust the system. It is foundational to the backbone of this country. It has been my astonishing revelation that this most SACRED of all abilities - believed to be held UP- in such esteem and REVERENCE yet in reality is trampled upon, disrespected and disgraced , given away with no value whatsoever in order to game the system. It is totally and completely unprotected. IT is UNTRUE. This reminds me of the snake oil salesmen who came into towns in the early days selling fakery and un-truths. As the American people come learn the truth - it IS happening now folks, make no mistake, they will ask the leadership to answer for this'd hold you accountable for this bait and switch. WE need real election integrity for LEGAL CITIZENS ONLY. WE NEED PRISTINELY CLEAN VOTER ROLLS. Here is the list of what we must do to repair and restore the trust of the American People. Establish laws enabling forensic audits and voter canvass Repeal same day voter registration Repeal no voter identification Repeal the permanent absentee ballot list Repeal no-excuse AB Repeal 3rd party mailing of AB Repeal ballot harvesting Eliminate AB drop boxes. We also want 1 day of voting, but anything less than 45 days would be better than nothing. Do not accept AB after Election DAY. Repeal pre-registration of 16 year olds Repeal automatic voter registration by DMV Please vote appropriately on ALL bills in support of these goals. Angela Boyer Great Falls Va 22066
Since there has never been any significant fraud in Virginia elections, we should keep and expand measures that make it easier for all of our citizens to participate the the most sacred of our democratic rights. There is no reason to make access to the ballot box tougher. We need to keep early voting, mail-in ballots, drop boxes, and enough polling places so there are not unreasonable wait times. The more citizens included in this process the stronger their involvement and commitment to their community, state, and nation.
I am in support of HB1855, only if it pertains to first time new voters only. There should be a cut off date prior to election day for new registration of voters. The day of election should not be when new voters are registered, as verification of ID and address becomes difficult at the polls. If a voter has moved but not updated their addresses, they should be required to either go back and vote at their original precinct (old address), or vote via provisional ballot based upon their new address. I am also in support of HB24, that would require a photo id, however, it should not be required that it be a state government or federally issued id.
Election Integrity depends on 3 primary things: REAL VOTER ID, the ELIMINATION OF VOTER DROP BOXES and NO ABSENTEE BALLOTS TO BE USED w/ THE exception for military assignments out of state or country.
SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM - Please Reject Confidence that our elections are fair is important. This is the paradox, though: raising alarms about election security, EVEN WHEN THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF CHEATING, is what undermines that confidence. Until you've made the case that there are people voting who shouldn't, or that there is cheating or foul play going on, there is no reason to make it harder to vote, which is what this bill does. We ALL benefit from widespread participation in elections. Making it less convenient and more expensive for people to vote is wrong. Please reject this bill. Thank you.
The VA State Conference doesn't support any voter suppression bills that cause barriers to vote. HB 24 46 185 187 544 780 944 941 942 1090
I strongly oppose HB185's attempt to cancel the right of a voter to register to vote up to the day of an election. I have served as an election officer and seen Virginians who had recently moved discover after standing in line at their new polling place that they would not be allowed to vote because they had missed the deadline for changing their registration to their new address. I have seen them look at their watch to determine whether they could get to their former polling place in rush hour traffic before the polls closed. They had proper identification and proof of their new address, but the missed deadline kept them from voting. Their frustration was evident. At the same time, I knew that my nephew living in California and my friends in Maryland and Maine had the ability to register to vote on election day, so they could make their votes count. Numerous states allow same day registration to vote without any logistical or security problems. It is time for Virginia to do so, too.
As a Virginia resident, I am opposed to all of the proposed bills for this session. I am concerned that the restrictions may further challenge low-income Virginians’ ability to participate in elections. Thank you for your consideration.
Please oppose HB24, HB46, and HB185. We should be supporting legislation that expands access to voting and creates a stronger democracy. We all benefit when more people are able to vote and have a direct influence in our democratic process. Requiring photo IDs and limiting same-day voter registration limit participation in our democratic process and do not make our elections more secure.
Voting should be simple, quick, and accesible to everyone. We have a lot of elderly and/or disabled residents, people who don't have access to a car, or members of the military serving overseas. Our legislators in Richmond should be working to make every Virginia's voice is heard. In addition, returning citizens should be eligible to vote once their sentence is completed. If they've served their time in prison as determined by a judge and/or jury, no purpose is served by denying them the right to vote.
I oppose H.B. 185, H.B. 187, and H.B. 941, which would disallow same-day voter registration. The bills would strip away legitimate voters' rights on the false premise that there has been widespread voter fraud in Virginia. Many citizens who have been dropped from registration lists because they haven't voted in recent elections would be surprised on election day when they decide to have their voices heard but are unjustly turned away from their polling places.
I oppose H.B. 174 because it prevents grassroots contributions to campaigns while allowing unlimited self-funding so that wealthy candidates -- or corrupt candidates who accept gifts outside of campaign contributions -- will have an unfair financial advantage.
Virginia enacted several new voting laws in 2020 and 2021 to make voting more accessible during the pandemic. Early in-person voting hours were increased, mail-in absentee ballots no longer required a witness signature, more drop-box locations were available. These changes led to record voter turnout (with insignificant fraud) in both the 2020 presidential election and the 2021 gubernatorial election. Therefore I oppose any new bill that would restrict our rights to accessible voting.
Voting is a constitutional right. Any law that restricts rather than expands our constitutional right & DUTY to vote is simply voter suppression. We must not repeal any expansions of absentee ballots. Do not decrease early voting. - extend the number of days allowed. Do not eliminate any ballot box locations- expand. We have no need to re-register absentee ballots every year. No excuse absentee voting is absolutely crucial. The state must provide easy and free access to voter ID if a photo is required. Since the USPS has slowed considerably, we must keep the 3 day rule for receiving ballots after election day. All local elections must be on Election Day (in Nov). Election Day should be a holiday. Until we do a complete overhaul of campaign finance & eliminate dark money/special interests there must be no restrictions on outreach, education & registration or from where a candidate may collect funds. Voter registration up to and including Election Day is absolutely crucial to ensure all citizens vote. I support all bills expanding our rights and abilities to make voting as easy as possible. I oppose all bills attempting to restrict any access to our ballot and our vote. The process is too important for the elected officials to be able to restrict us from our duty to be informed voters. Keep expanding our rights. Do not restrict, suppress or subvert them.
HB187 - Voter registration; registration permitted up to and including the day of the election.
Election Integrity guarantees our voice is heard and the we can trust the system. It is foundational to the backbone of this country. It has been my astonishing revelation that this most SACRED of all abilities - believed to be held UP- in such esteem and REVERENCE yet in reality is trampled upon, disrespected and disgraced , given away with no value whatsoever in order to game the system. It is totally and completely unprotected. IT is UNTRUE. This reminds me of the snake oil salesmen who came into towns in the early days selling fakery and un-truths. As the American people come learn the truth - it IS happening now folks, make no mistake, they will ask the leadership to answer for this'd hold you accountable for this bait and switch. WE need real election integrity for LEGAL CITIZENS ONLY. WE NEED PRISTINELY CLEAN VOTER ROLLS. Here is the list of what we must do to repair and restore the trust of the American People. Establish laws enabling forensic audits and voter canvass Repeal same day voter registration Repeal no voter identification Repeal the permanent absentee ballot list Repeal no-excuse AB Repeal 3rd party mailing of AB Repeal ballot harvesting Eliminate AB drop boxes. We also want 1 day of voting, but anything less than 45 days would be better than nothing. Do not accept AB after Election DAY. Repeal pre-registration of 16 year olds Repeal automatic voter registration by DMV Please vote appropriately on ALL bills in support of these goals. Angela Boyer Great Falls Va 22066
Since there has never been any significant fraud in Virginia elections, we should keep and expand measures that make it easier for all of our citizens to participate the the most sacred of our democratic rights. There is no reason to make access to the ballot box tougher. We need to keep early voting, mail-in ballots, drop boxes, and enough polling places so there are not unreasonable wait times. The more citizens included in this process the stronger their involvement and commitment to their community, state, and nation.
Election Integrity depends on 3 primary things: REAL VOTER ID, the ELIMINATION OF VOTER DROP BOXES and NO ABSENTEE BALLOTS TO BE USED w/ THE exception for military assignments out of state or country.
SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM - Please Reject Confidence that our elections are fair is important. This is the paradox, though: raising alarms about election security, EVEN WHEN THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF CHEATING, is what undermines that confidence. Until you've made the case that there are people voting who shouldn't, or that there is cheating or foul play going on, there is no reason to make it harder to vote, which is what this bill does. We ALL benefit from widespread participation in elections. Making it less convenient and more expensive for people to vote is wrong. Please reject this bill. Thank you.
The VA State Conference doesn't support any voter suppression bills that cause barriers to vote. HB 24 46 185 187 544 780 944 941 942 1090
As a Virginia resident, I am opposed to all of the proposed bills for this session. I am concerned that the restrictions may further challenge low-income Virginians’ ability to participate in elections. Thank you for your consideration.
It is very important that Virginia has an uncomplicated and accessible method of voting for every citizen to register their preference. Fraud is not a big problem, so obstacles should not be placed in the way of voters.
Voting should be simple, quick, and accesible to everyone. We have a lot of elderly and/or disabled residents, people who don't have access to a car, or members of the military serving overseas. Our legislators in Richmond should be working to make every Virginia's voice is heard. In addition, returning citizens should be eligible to vote once their sentence is completed. If they've served their time in prison as determined by a judge and/or jury, no purpose is served by denying them the right to vote.
I oppose H.B. 185, H.B. 187, and H.B. 941, which would disallow same-day voter registration. The bills would strip away legitimate voters' rights on the false premise that there has been widespread voter fraud in Virginia. Many citizens who have been dropped from registration lists because they haven't voted in recent elections would be surprised on election day when they decide to have their voices heard but are unjustly turned away from their polling places.
I oppose H.B. 174 because it prevents grassroots contributions to campaigns while allowing unlimited self-funding so that wealthy candidates -- or corrupt candidates who accept gifts outside of campaign contributions -- will have an unfair financial advantage.
Virginia enacted several new voting laws in 2020 and 2021 to make voting more accessible during the pandemic. Early in-person voting hours were increased, mail-in absentee ballots no longer required a witness signature, more drop-box locations were available. These changes led to record voter turnout (with insignificant fraud) in both the 2020 presidential election and the 2021 gubernatorial election. Therefore I oppose any new bill that would restrict our rights to accessible voting.
Voting is a constitutional right. Any law that restricts rather than expands our constitutional right & DUTY to vote is simply voter suppression. We must not repeal any expansions of absentee ballots. Do not decrease early voting. - extend the number of days allowed. Do not eliminate any ballot box locations- expand. We have no need to re-register absentee ballots every year. No excuse absentee voting is absolutely crucial. The state must provide easy and free access to voter ID if a photo is required. Since the USPS has slowed considerably, we must keep the 3 day rule for receiving ballots after election day. All local elections must be on Election Day (in Nov). Election Day should be a holiday. Until we do a complete overhaul of campaign finance & eliminate dark money/special interests there must be no restrictions on outreach, education & registration or from where a candidate may collect funds. Voter registration up to and including Election Day is absolutely crucial to ensure all citizens vote. I support all bills expanding our rights and abilities to make voting as easy as possible. I oppose all bills attempting to restrict any access to our ballot and our vote. The process is too important for the elected officials to be able to restrict us from our duty to be informed voters. Keep expanding our rights. Do not restrict, suppress or subvert them.
HB544 - Voter identification; optional restrictive identification requirement.
I fully support Delegate Batten’s bill. It should be required to show a photo ID to vote. This is just common sense, especially given what transpired during the 2020 presidential election scam.
The Virginia State Conference NAACP opposes HB544.
All bills that will reflect a stronger more secure election in the future. Considering both sides, Trump and Biden, have spoken in regards to those concerns, these should be reported on with bipartisan approval. Thank you.
Election Integrity guarantees our voice is heard and the we can trust the system. It is foundational to the backbone of this country. It has been my astonishing revelation that this most SACRED of all abilities - believed to be held UP- in such esteem and REVERENCE yet in reality is trampled upon, disrespected and disgraced , given away with no value whatsoever in order to game the system. It is totally and completely unprotected. IT is UNTRUE. This reminds me of the snake oil salesmen who came into towns in the early days selling fakery and un-truths. As the American people come learn the truth - it IS happening now folks, make no mistake, they will ask the leadership to answer for this'd hold you accountable for this bait and switch. WE need real election integrity for LEGAL CITIZENS ONLY. WE NEED PRISTINELY CLEAN VOTER ROLLS. Here is the list of what we must do to repair and restore the trust of the American People. Establish laws enabling forensic audits and voter canvass Repeal same day voter registration Repeal no voter identification Repeal the permanent absentee ballot list Repeal no-excuse AB Repeal 3rd party mailing of AB Repeal ballot harvesting Eliminate AB drop boxes. We also want 1 day of voting, but anything less than 45 days would be better than nothing. Do not accept AB after Election DAY. Repeal pre-registration of 16 year olds Repeal automatic voter registration by DMV Please vote appropriately on ALL bills in support of these goals. Angela Boyer Great Falls Va 22066
Since there has never been any significant fraud in Virginia elections, we should keep and expand measures that make it easier for all of our citizens to participate the the most sacred of our democratic rights. There is no reason to make access to the ballot box tougher. We need to keep early voting, mail-in ballots, drop boxes, and enough polling places so there are not unreasonable wait times. The more citizens included in this process the stronger their involvement and commitment to their community, state, and nation.
I am in support of HB1855, only if it pertains to first time new voters only. There should be a cut off date prior to election day for new registration of voters. The day of election should not be when new voters are registered, as verification of ID and address becomes difficult at the polls. If a voter has moved but not updated their addresses, they should be required to either go back and vote at their original precinct (old address), or vote via provisional ballot based upon their new address. I am also in support of HB24, that would require a photo id, however, it should not be required that it be a state government or federally issued id.
Election Integrity depends on 3 primary things: REAL VOTER ID, the ELIMINATION OF VOTER DROP BOXES and NO ABSENTEE BALLOTS TO BE USED w/ THE exception for military assignments out of state or country.
SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM - Please Reject Confidence that our elections are fair is important. This is the paradox, though: raising alarms about election security, EVEN WHEN THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF CHEATING, is what undermines that confidence. Until you've made the case that there are people voting who shouldn't, or that there is cheating or foul play going on, there is no reason to make it harder to vote, which is what this bill does. We ALL benefit from widespread participation in elections. Making it less convenient and more expensive for people to vote is wrong. Please reject this bill. Thank you.
The VA State Conference doesn't support any voter suppression bills that cause barriers to vote. HB 24 46 185 187 544 780 944 941 942 1090
As a Virginia resident, I am opposed to all of the proposed bills for this session. I am concerned that the restrictions may further challenge low-income Virginians’ ability to participate in elections. Thank you for your consideration.
Voting is a right guaranteed to all citizens. Unless ID's to be used for voting are provided easily and free to all eligible voters, voter ID requirements amount to voter suppression. There is no discernible voter fraud in any Virginia elections that would be addressed by these voter ID laws.
Virginia enacted several new voting laws in 2020 and 2021 to make voting more accessible during the pandemic. Early in-person voting hours were increased, mail-in absentee ballots no longer required a witness signature, more drop-box locations were available. These changes led to record voter turnout (with insignificant fraud) in both the 2020 presidential election and the 2021 gubernatorial election. Therefore I oppose any new bill that would restrict our rights to accessible voting.
Regarding HB1090, HB942, HB544, HB46, HB24, and HB121 = these voter id bills are actually unnecessary. There is no evidence that people are committing voter fraud on any meaningful scale, even in local elections. Voter ID laws can potentially deprive potential voters of their right to vote and/or reduce participation in local elections. As a conservative, I believe these kinds of laws are actually antithetical to what our country needs to be doing to increase civic participation. People like me have been forced to fill out provisional ballots in prior elections because it takes a while to get a govt photo ID and I know the cost can be prohibitive to people who don't think it's important. We should be making voting as reasonably easy and as low-cost as possible, and we should stop changing laws relating to voter ID and such so much because it can be confusing if this happens every other year. Thank you.
Voting is a constitutional right. Any law that restricts rather than expands our constitutional right & DUTY to vote is simply voter suppression. We must not repeal any expansions of absentee ballots. Do not decrease early voting. - extend the number of days allowed. Do not eliminate any ballot box locations- expand. We have no need to re-register absentee ballots every year. No excuse absentee voting is absolutely crucial. The state must provide easy and free access to voter ID if a photo is required. Since the USPS has slowed considerably, we must keep the 3 day rule for receiving ballots after election day. All local elections must be on Election Day (in Nov). Election Day should be a holiday. Until we do a complete overhaul of campaign finance & eliminate dark money/special interests there must be no restrictions on outreach, education & registration or from where a candidate may collect funds. Voter registration up to and including Election Day is absolutely crucial to ensure all citizens vote. I support all bills expanding our rights and abilities to make voting as easy as possible. I oppose all bills attempting to restrict any access to our ballot and our vote. The process is too important for the elected officials to be able to restrict us from our duty to be informed voters. Keep expanding our rights. Do not restrict, suppress or subvert them.
We need voter identification requirements!!!
This bill must pass in order to ensure election integrity and if not passed would devalue the vote of the legitimate citizen.
Hoping this bill passes!
I am in full support of this bill to create fair and equal elections for all. It is an opportunity to work with the current voter legislation to address the concerns we share surrounding voter ID requirements.
HB544 Is a great step towards securing voter identification and potential misuse of our names for voting. We very much support this bill. Please give it serious consideration. Jim and Helen Janele
I would like to see photo ID for voter’s registration to protest my identification.
I support all bills that require voter ID. There is no reason for not being able to obtain a photo ID. I also agree voters should have the right to designate in the voter records that a photo ID is required to cast a vote under said name
Very concerned about Voter fraud and HB544 will at least allow me to protect MY vote. Please make every effort for a full audit of the 2020 election. Election Integrity and action by our representative supporting Election Integrity are critically important.
I strongly support this bill because I want stronger assurance that I am the only one that is allowed to vote in my place. This is my right and I do not want someone stealing my vote because of any lax rules or laws.
I have to show id to get a library card, to buy beer or get a passport.
I would like for photo Id to be taken and registered for protection of my voting rights in America as an American citizen. Thank you
HB544 | Batten | Voter identification; optional restrictive identification requirement. We must have voter integrity with photo ID required
To uphold voter integrity, in as much as it is possible for me to do so, I will require that any vote submitted in my name has had my identification checked prior to voting. For this reason I support Delegate Batten's proposed bill HB544.
I strongly support this bill and respectfully request that you support it and pass it through committee.
This is a good proposal that allows one the choice of protecting one's vote.
I support this bill.
Our vote is among our most precious rights. It should be protected at all cost against fraud. Self-codifying my registration record with the requirement that Photo ID be used to verify my identity is a common-sense solution to a problem created by loose ID requirements enacted in the past.
In other states my picture on my drivers license was proof of who I am. This should be identified on all voting requirements and all government bills.
I support this Bill. I believe Voting needs to be secured by Blockchain. There are projects/companies creating voting platforms for this. It will just be a matter of adoption. Thank you.
I support this bill.
I have in favor of this bill.
A pictured ID is required for almost everything we do in this day and age. Of all the rights we have, voting is a privilege and I feel it should be mandatory to show an ID for everyone. Even people on welfare have to show an ID, so there shouldn't be any excuse about financial status.
I am completely in favor of this bill. Voter integrity and in person voting are very important to me. This will add another layer of security to preserving my right to vote.
I am in support of HB 544, Voter identification; optional restrictive identification requirement. Voluntarily placing a photo ID restriction on my own vote will add an additional layer of security to my voting rights. It will provide a greater confidence that, whether I choose to vote early or on election day, my vote will be secure and my vote will count. This voluntary restriction does not affect my neighbor, my friends or the people down the street. It will not prevent or restrict any voter’s choice to utilize the full range of alternate voter ID options currently available under law. To the contrary, I believe it is an opportunity to work within the framework of current voter legislation to address the concerns many Virginians share surrounding voter ID requirements. I strongly believe it is a win/win solution that will benefit all of your constituents by expanding their choice of how, when and where they vote. Please vote yes on HB 544. Thank you all for your time and consideration of the people of Virginia.
HB780 - Voter registration; registration permitted up to and including the day of the election.
Since there has never been any significant fraud in Virginia elections, we should keep and expand measures that make it easier for all of our citizens to participate the the most sacred of our democratic rights. There is no reason to make access to the ballot box tougher. We need to keep early voting, mail-in ballots, drop boxes, and enough polling places so there are not unreasonable wait times. The more citizens included in this process the stronger their involvement and commitment to their community, state, and nation.
SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM - Please Reject Confidence that our elections are fair is important. This is the paradox, though: raising alarms about election security, EVEN WHEN THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF CHEATING, is what undermines that confidence. Until you've made the case that there are people voting who shouldn't, or that there is cheating or foul play going on, there is no reason to make it harder to vote, which is what this bill does. We ALL benefit from widespread participation in elections. Making it less convenient and more expensive for people to vote is wrong. Please reject this bill. Thank you.
The VA State Conference doesn't support any voter suppression bills that cause barriers to vote. HB 24 46 185 187 544 780 944 941 942 1090
As a Virginia resident, I am opposed to all of the proposed bills for this session. I am concerned that the restrictions may further challenge low-income Virginians’ ability to participate in elections. Thank you for your consideration.
Virginia enacted several new voting laws in 2020 and 2021 to make voting more accessible during the pandemic. Early in-person voting hours were increased, mail-in absentee ballots no longer required a witness signature, more drop-box locations were available. These changes led to record voter turnout (with insignificant fraud) in both the 2020 presidential election and the 2021 gubernatorial election. Therefore I oppose any new bill that would restrict our rights to accessible voting.
Voting is a constitutional right. Any law that restricts rather than expands our constitutional right & DUTY to vote is simply voter suppression. We must not repeal any expansions of absentee ballots. Do not decrease early voting. - extend the number of days allowed. Do not eliminate any ballot box locations- expand. We have no need to re-register absentee ballots every year. No excuse absentee voting is absolutely crucial. The state must provide easy and free access to voter ID if a photo is required. Since the USPS has slowed considerably, we must keep the 3 day rule for receiving ballots after election day. All local elections must be on Election Day (in Nov). Election Day should be a holiday. Until we do a complete overhaul of campaign finance & eliminate dark money/special interests there must be no restrictions on outreach, education & registration or from where a candidate may collect funds. Voter registration up to and including Election Day is absolutely crucial to ensure all citizens vote. I support all bills expanding our rights and abilities to make voting as easy as possible. I oppose all bills attempting to restrict any access to our ballot and our vote. The process is too important for the elected officials to be able to restrict us from our duty to be informed voters. Keep expanding our rights. Do not restrict, suppress or subvert them.
HB941 - Voter registration; registration permitted up to and including the day of the election.
I am in favor of these bills to ensure honest and accurate election counts in the state of Virginia. This would include bills HB 1090, 1101, 1109, 121, 196,24,941,942,945,956 and HJ 65.
Election Integrity guarantees our voice is heard and the we can trust the system. It is foundational to the backbone of this country. It has been my astonishing revelation that this most SACRED of all abilities - believed to be held UP- in such esteem and REVERENCE yet in reality is trampled upon, disrespected and disgraced , given away with no value whatsoever in order to game the system. It is totally and completely unprotected. IT is UNTRUE. This reminds me of the snake oil salesmen who came into towns in the early days selling fakery and un-truths. As the American people come learn the truth - it IS happening now folks, make no mistake, they will ask the leadership to answer for this'd hold you accountable for this bait and switch. WE need real election integrity for LEGAL CITIZENS ONLY. WE NEED PRISTINELY CLEAN VOTER ROLLS. Here is the list of what we must do to repair and restore the trust of the American People. Establish laws enabling forensic audits and voter canvass Repeal same day voter registration Repeal no voter identification Repeal the permanent absentee ballot list Repeal no-excuse AB Repeal 3rd party mailing of AB Repeal ballot harvesting Eliminate AB drop boxes. We also want 1 day of voting, but anything less than 45 days would be better than nothing. Do not accept AB after Election DAY. Repeal pre-registration of 16 year olds Repeal automatic voter registration by DMV Please vote appropriately on ALL bills in support of these goals. Angela Boyer Great Falls Va 22066
Since there has never been any significant fraud in Virginia elections, we should keep and expand measures that make it easier for all of our citizens to participate the the most sacred of our democratic rights. There is no reason to make access to the ballot box tougher. We need to keep early voting, mail-in ballots, drop boxes, and enough polling places so there are not unreasonable wait times. The more citizens included in this process the stronger their involvement and commitment to their community, state, and nation.
Election Integrity depends on 3 primary things: REAL VOTER ID, the ELIMINATION OF VOTER DROP BOXES and NO ABSENTEE BALLOTS TO BE USED w/ THE exception for military assignments out of state or country.
SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM - Please Reject Confidence that our elections are fair is important. This is the paradox, though: raising alarms about election security, EVEN WHEN THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF CHEATING, is what undermines that confidence. Until you've made the case that there are people voting who shouldn't, or that there is cheating or foul play going on, there is no reason to make it harder to vote, which is what this bill does. We ALL benefit from widespread participation in elections. Making it less convenient and more expensive for people to vote is wrong. Please reject this bill. Thank you.
The VA State Conference doesn't support any voter suppression bills that cause barriers to vote. HB 24 46 185 187 544 780 944 941 942 1090
As a Virginia resident, I am opposed to all of the proposed bills for this session. I am concerned that the restrictions may further challenge low-income Virginians’ ability to participate in elections. Thank you for your consideration.
Voting should be simple, quick, and accesible to everyone. We have a lot of elderly and/or disabled residents, people who don't have access to a car, or members of the military serving overseas. Our legislators in Richmond should be working to make every Virginia's voice is heard. In addition, returning citizens should be eligible to vote once their sentence is completed. If they've served their time in prison as determined by a judge and/or jury, no purpose is served by denying them the right to vote.
I oppose H.B. 185, H.B. 187, and H.B. 941, which would disallow same-day voter registration. The bills would strip away legitimate voters' rights on the false premise that there has been widespread voter fraud in Virginia. Many citizens who have been dropped from registration lists because they haven't voted in recent elections would be surprised on election day when they decide to have their voices heard but are unjustly turned away from their polling places.
I oppose H.B. 174 because it prevents grassroots contributions to campaigns while allowing unlimited self-funding so that wealthy candidates -- or corrupt candidates who accept gifts outside of campaign contributions -- will have an unfair financial advantage.
Virginia enacted several new voting laws in 2020 and 2021 to make voting more accessible during the pandemic. Early in-person voting hours were increased, mail-in absentee ballots no longer required a witness signature, more drop-box locations were available. These changes led to record voter turnout (with insignificant fraud) in both the 2020 presidential election and the 2021 gubernatorial election. Therefore I oppose any new bill that would restrict our rights to accessible voting.
Voting is a constitutional right. Any law that restricts rather than expands our constitutional right & DUTY to vote is simply voter suppression. We must not repeal any expansions of absentee ballots. Do not decrease early voting. - extend the number of days allowed. Do not eliminate any ballot box locations- expand. We have no need to re-register absentee ballots every year. No excuse absentee voting is absolutely crucial. The state must provide easy and free access to voter ID if a photo is required. Since the USPS has slowed considerably, we must keep the 3 day rule for receiving ballots after election day. All local elections must be on Election Day (in Nov). Election Day should be a holiday. Until we do a complete overhaul of campaign finance & eliminate dark money/special interests there must be no restrictions on outreach, education & registration or from where a candidate may collect funds. Voter registration up to and including Election Day is absolutely crucial to ensure all citizens vote. I support all bills expanding our rights and abilities to make voting as easy as possible. I oppose all bills attempting to restrict any access to our ballot and our vote. The process is too important for the elected officials to be able to restrict us from our duty to be informed voters. Keep expanding our rights. Do not restrict, suppress or subvert them.
HB942 - Voter identification; identification containing a photograph required.
Providing a photo identification is a common expectation to participate is the most mundane aspects of societal life, such as to buy alcohol, cigarettes, board an airplane, go to the doctor, register children into schools, get a library card, work for any employer, and of course to drive a car. Voting is a privilege granted to citizens and residents of VA. Requiring a photo ID is not burdensome and should be expected. I've worked as an election official. At no time during early voting or on election day did any voters complain about showing their ID. Polling shows that the vast majority of Americans want photo identification requirements in order to receive a ballot. Support HB942!
I am in favor of these bills to ensure honest and accurate election counts in the state of Virginia. This would include bills HB 1090, 1101, 1109, 121, 196,24,941,942,945,956 and HJ 65.
Hello, I am Sami Watson, Field Coordinator with Hamkae Center. We work with Asian American voters across the state and we oppose House Bill 942. Many Americans do not have a valid photo ID, and research has shown that restrictive identification requirements disproportionately impact elderly, minority, and low-income voters. Despite being the fastest growing ethnic voting bloc in the state and the country, AAPI voters may be deterred from casting a ballot due to the cost and time needed to acquire a valid photo ID in order to vote. Acceptable ID should include other forms of non-photo identification and voters should be able to cast a regular ballot by signing an ID confirmation statement, subject to felony penalty. Thank you.
Election Integrity guarantees our voice is heard and the we can trust the system. It is foundational to the backbone of this country. It has been my astonishing revelation that this most SACRED of all abilities - believed to be held UP- in such esteem and REVERENCE yet in reality is trampled upon, disrespected and disgraced , given away with no value whatsoever in order to game the system. It is totally and completely unprotected. IT is UNTRUE. This reminds me of the snake oil salesmen who came into towns in the early days selling fakery and un-truths. As the American people come learn the truth - it IS happening now folks, make no mistake, they will ask the leadership to answer for this'd hold you accountable for this bait and switch. WE need real election integrity for LEGAL CITIZENS ONLY. WE NEED PRISTINELY CLEAN VOTER ROLLS. Here is the list of what we must do to repair and restore the trust of the American People. Establish laws enabling forensic audits and voter canvass Repeal same day voter registration Repeal no voter identification Repeal the permanent absentee ballot list Repeal no-excuse AB Repeal 3rd party mailing of AB Repeal ballot harvesting Eliminate AB drop boxes. We also want 1 day of voting, but anything less than 45 days would be better than nothing. Do not accept AB after Election DAY. Repeal pre-registration of 16 year olds Repeal automatic voter registration by DMV Please vote appropriately on ALL bills in support of these goals. Angela Boyer Great Falls Va 22066
Since there has never been any significant fraud in Virginia elections, we should keep and expand measures that make it easier for all of our citizens to participate the the most sacred of our democratic rights. There is no reason to make access to the ballot box tougher. We need to keep early voting, mail-in ballots, drop boxes, and enough polling places so there are not unreasonable wait times. The more citizens included in this process the stronger their involvement and commitment to their community, state, and nation.
Election Integrity depends on 3 primary things: REAL VOTER ID, the ELIMINATION OF VOTER DROP BOXES and NO ABSENTEE BALLOTS TO BE USED w/ THE exception for military assignments out of state or country.
SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM - Please Reject Confidence that our elections are fair is important. This is the paradox, though: raising alarms about election security, EVEN WHEN THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF CHEATING, is what undermines that confidence. Until you've made the case that there are people voting who shouldn't, or that there is cheating or foul play going on, there is no reason to make it harder to vote, which is what this bill does. We ALL benefit from widespread participation in elections. Making it less convenient and more expensive for people to vote is wrong. Please reject this bill. Thank you.
The VA State Conference doesn't support any voter suppression bills that cause barriers to vote. HB 24 46 185 187 544 780 944 941 942 1090
As a Virginia resident, I am opposed to all of the proposed bills for this session. I am concerned that the restrictions may further challenge low-income Virginians’ ability to participate in elections. Thank you for your consideration.
Voting should be simple, quick, and accesible to everyone. We have a lot of elderly and/or disabled residents, people who don't have access to a car, or members of the military serving overseas. Our legislators in Richmond should be working to make every Virginia's voice is heard. In addition, returning citizens should be eligible to vote once their sentence is completed. If they've served their time in prison as determined by a judge and/or jury, no purpose is served by denying them the right to vote.
Voting is a right guaranteed to all citizens. Unless ID's to be used for voting are provided easily and free to all eligible voters, voter ID requirements amount to voter suppression. There is no discernible voter fraud in any Virginia elections that would be addressed by these voter ID laws.
Virginia enacted several new voting laws in 2020 and 2021 to make voting more accessible during the pandemic. Early in-person voting hours were increased, mail-in absentee ballots no longer required a witness signature, more drop-box locations were available. These changes led to record voter turnout (with insignificant fraud) in both the 2020 presidential election and the 2021 gubernatorial election. Therefore I oppose any new bill that would restrict our rights to accessible voting.
Do not conflate privileges with rights. It is a privilege to drive, not a right. It also costs a lot of money to become a legal licensed driver. It should not cost any money to exercise a right. There are many citizens in our country who do not need a photo ID because their lives do not center around travel or activities that require an age verification like drinking alcohol. That said, I am not anti-photo ID. Satisfy the following conditions and you can have photo ID: All citizens receive a free citizenship photo ID upon turning 18 or being naturalized. These IDs are available for replacement in every local area that has a Walmart and Dollar General meaning it's as easy to get to as your corner store. This is how vaccination cards work. Getting a Covid-19 vaccination is easy and free and widely available. Make photo identification the same. We will support photo IDs for exercising our right to vote when they are free to citizens and widely available. Until then, voter identification fraud is so infinitesimal that it is statistically insignificant compared to the statistically significant percentage of people that will be disenfranchised for not having a photo ID.
Regarding HB1090, HB942, HB544, HB46, HB24, and HB121 = these voter id bills are actually unnecessary. There is no evidence that people are committing voter fraud on any meaningful scale, even in local elections. Voter ID laws can potentially deprive potential voters of their right to vote and/or reduce participation in local elections. As a conservative, I believe these kinds of laws are actually antithetical to what our country needs to be doing to increase civic participation. People like me have been forced to fill out provisional ballots in prior elections because it takes a while to get a govt photo ID and I know the cost can be prohibitive to people who don't think it's important. We should be making voting as reasonably easy and as low-cost as possible, and we should stop changing laws relating to voter ID and such so much because it can be confusing if this happens every other year. Thank you.
Voting is a constitutional right. Any law that restricts rather than expands our constitutional right & DUTY to vote is simply voter suppression. We must not repeal any expansions of absentee ballots. Do not decrease early voting. - extend the number of days allowed. Do not eliminate any ballot box locations- expand. We have no need to re-register absentee ballots every year. No excuse absentee voting is absolutely crucial. The state must provide easy and free access to voter ID if a photo is required. Since the USPS has slowed considerably, we must keep the 3 day rule for receiving ballots after election day. All local elections must be on Election Day (in Nov). Election Day should be a holiday. Until we do a complete overhaul of campaign finance & eliminate dark money/special interests there must be no restrictions on outreach, education & registration or from where a candidate may collect funds. Voter registration up to and including Election Day is absolutely crucial to ensure all citizens vote. I support all bills expanding our rights and abilities to make voting as easy as possible. I oppose all bills attempting to restrict any access to our ballot and our vote. The process is too important for the elected officials to be able to restrict us from our duty to be informed voters. Keep expanding our rights. Do not restrict, suppress or subvert them.
I oppose HB1090, HB121, HB24, HB46, and HB942, all requiring a photo ID to vote. This is completely unnecessary and serves only to make it more difficult to cast a ballot in the commonwealth. HB1090 in particular is absolutely disgraceful. It would strike current provisions of the law allowing voters with certain disabilities who require assistance in voting to be provided that assistance.
HB1090 - Voter identification; identification containing a photograph required.
Providing a photo identification is a common expectation to participate is the most mundane aspects of societal life, such as to buy alcohol, cigarettes, board an airplane, go to the doctor, register children into schools, get a library card, work for any employer, and of course to drive a car. Voting is a privilege granted to citizens and residents of VA. Requiring a photo ID is not burdensome and should be expected. I've worked as an election official. At no time during early voting or on election day did any voters complain about showing their ID. Polling shows that the vast majority of Americans want photo identification requirements in order to receive a ballot. Support HB121!
Providing a photo identification is a common expectation to participate is the most mundane aspects of societal life, such as to buy alcohol, cigarettes, board an airplane, go to the doctor, register children into schools, get a library card, work for any employer, and of course to drive a car. Voting is a privilege granted to citizens and residents of VA. Requiring a photo ID is not burdensome and should be expected. I've worked as an election official. At no time during early voting or on election day did any voters complain about showing their ID. Polling shows that the vast majority of Americans want photo identification requirements in order to receive a ballot. Support HB1090!
I am in favor of these bills to ensure honest and accurate election counts in the state of Virginia. This would include bills HB 1090, 1101, 1109, 121, 196,24,941,942,945,956 and HJ 65.
All Virginia voters should be guaranteed fair and equal opportunity to vote and access to polling sites. I urge the committee to vote in favor of the Right to Vote Amendment and the associated referendum bills: HJ9 and HB130. Passing the amendment places the responsibility for this important decision where it should be – with Virginia's voters during the 2022 elections. Let Virginia voters decide.
I work as a check in officer in my local precinct. Of the people that walk in and vote on election day, virtually all voters expect to present a picture ID. The vast majority present a drivers license. Case and point: Voters expect to present a picture ID to vote and do not complain. The NO ID requirement seems to be a legislative requirement! Stick to Election Integrity and require picture ID. JWV
The VA NAACP doesn't support legislation that limits access to voters. Hb1090 Hb149 hb121 hb 249 hb 178 hb24 Support Hj9 hj130
HB1090 should be passed. Voters should have a photo ID and be able to show proof of residence. This enforces the integrity of voting in VA. Seniors can have a photo identification, even if they do not drive. There should not be a permanent absentee voter list. People move, pass away, etc and this can lead to fraud when others use this list to mail out ballots. I saw this happen, when ballots for deceased parents were sent to our home. Voters should register during the open period and should not be allowed to register on Election Day. Absentee ballots can be obtained legally if you know you will not be able to vote on Election Day. All ballots should be received by the close of Election Day, not days later.
Voter ID required, limit mail in ballots, no drop boxes, cutoff for registration to vote 2 -3 weeks prior, citizens only, clean voter registration polls weekly, modify length of residency to qualify to register
Dear Privileges and Elections Committee Members, I urge the committee to vote in favor of the Right to Vote Amendment and the associated referendum bills: HJ9 and HB130. Passing the amendment places the responsibility for this important decision where it should be – with Virginia's voters during the 2022 elections. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Beth Alley
BOTH HJ9 and HB130. Privileges and Elections Committee Members, I urge the committee to vote in favor of the Right to Vote Amendment and the associated referendum bills: HJ9 and HB130. Passing the amendment places the responsibility for this important decision where it should be – with Virginia's voters during the 2022 elections. Thank you for your consideration. "I say to people today, 'You must be prepared if you believe in something. If you believe in something, you have to go for it. As individuals, we may not live to see the end." -- John Lewis "We have come a long way in America because of Martin Luther King, Jr. He led a disciplined, nonviolent revolution under the rule of law, a revolution of values, a revolution of ideas. We've come a long way, but we still have a distance to go before all of our citizens embrace the idea of a truly interracial democracy, what I like to call the Beloved Community, a nation at peace with itself." -- John Lewis Sincerely, Marilyn Karp BOTH HJ9 and HB130.
Please move to report HB34, 35, 36, 39, 178, 528, 1090, 1141 to protect minority votes which can be diluted by fraudulent votes and places blame unfairly on minorities for questionable voting practices. Against HB177, 196 because those can affect handicapped/disabled. If they are left for them, then no problems.
I support HB's: 34, 35, 36, 39, 177, 178, 196, 198, 528, 1141, because we need to have a system where all Virginia voters can have confidence in the integrity of our elections. Without these reforms, loop holes are left open that can allow third party organizations, or campaigns, to manipulate ballets, steal ballets from voters, or manufacture fraudulent voters. We need election reform now! Thank you.
Voter ID card from the Board of Elections is Sufficient.
Voter ID card from the Board of Elections is Sufficient.
Hello, I am Sami Watson, Field Coordinator with Hamkae Center. We work with Asian American voters across the state and we oppose House Bill 1090. Many Americans do not have a valid photo ID, and research has shown that restrictive identification requirements disproportionately impact elderly, minority, and low-income voters. Despite being the fastest growing ethnic voting bloc in the state and the country, AAPI voters may be deterred from casting a ballot due to the cost and time needed to acquire a valid photo ID in order to vote. Acceptable ID should include other forms of non-photo identification and voters should be able to cast a regular ballot by signing an ID confirmation statement, subject to felony penalty. Thank you.
I am commenting on HB 1090, Voter identification; identification containing a photograph. Before 2014, several forms of identification were acceptable for voting, as long as they had name and address information that coincided with the information in the poll book. Now we are back to that method of identification, which has been tested in the last two elections and found to be sufficiently secure. The photo ID requirement was difficult for some people to meet: elderly persons, especially those who moved into senior housing or no longer drove. The DMV does issue IDs for walkers, but a person has to get to the DMV. There was a provision in the act that passed in 2014 that required Office of Elections in all jurisdictions to provide equipment for taking photographs and creating ID free cards that could be used just for voting. In Fairfax, the officers of elections used to go to libraries and senior residences with this equipment to make sure that people had access to this equipment. I do not see such a provision in this bill. Since there was no problem with identifying voters correctly using any of the acceptable forms of ID, there is no need to return to the requirement to present a photo. Yours sincerely, Sidney Johnson
Election Integrity guarantees our voice is heard and the we can trust the system. It is foundational to the backbone of this country. It has been my astonishing revelation that this most SACRED of all abilities - believed to be held UP- in such esteem and REVERENCE yet in reality is trampled upon, disrespected and disgraced , given away with no value whatsoever in order to game the system. It is totally and completely unprotected. IT is UNTRUE. This reminds me of the snake oil salesmen who came into towns in the early days selling fakery and un-truths. As the American people come learn the truth - it IS happening now folks, make no mistake, they will ask the leadership to answer for this'd hold you accountable for this bait and switch. WE need real election integrity for LEGAL CITIZENS ONLY. WE NEED PRISTINELY CLEAN VOTER ROLLS. Here is the list of what we must do to repair and restore the trust of the American People. Establish laws enabling forensic audits and voter canvass Repeal same day voter registration Repeal no voter identification Repeal the permanent absentee ballot list Repeal no-excuse AB Repeal 3rd party mailing of AB Repeal ballot harvesting Eliminate AB drop boxes. We also want 1 day of voting, but anything less than 45 days would be better than nothing. Do not accept AB after Election DAY. Repeal pre-registration of 16 year olds Repeal automatic voter registration by DMV Please vote appropriately on ALL bills in support of these goals. Angela Boyer Great Falls Va 22066
Since there has never been any significant fraud in Virginia elections, we should keep and expand measures that make it easier for all of our citizens to participate the the most sacred of our democratic rights. There is no reason to make access to the ballot box tougher. We need to keep early voting, mail-in ballots, drop boxes, and enough polling places so there are not unreasonable wait times. The more citizens included in this process the stronger their involvement and commitment to their community, state, and nation.
I oppose all bills attempting to restrict any access to our ballot and our vote. Keep expanding our rights. Make voting as easy as possible for all people, including elderly, disabled, people working multiple jobs, caretakers, people without access to transportation, and people who have served time. Do not restrict, suppress or subvert voting rights.
SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM - Please Reject Confidence that our elections are fair is important. This is the paradox, though: raising alarms about election security, EVEN WHEN THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF CHEATING, is what undermines that confidence. Until you've made the case that there are people voting who shouldn't, or that there is cheating or foul play going on, there is no reason to make it harder to vote, which is what this bill does. We ALL benefit from widespread participation in elections. Making it less convenient and more expensive for people to vote is wrong. Please reject this bill. Thank you.
The VA State Conference doesn't support any voter suppression bills that cause barriers to vote. HB 24 46 185 187 544 780 944 941 942 1090
As a Virginia resident, I am opposed to all of the proposed bills for this session. I am concerned that the restrictions may further challenge low-income Virginians’ ability to participate in elections. Thank you for your consideration.
HB 1090 I am strongly opposed to reinstating the requirement to provide a photo ID in order to cast a ballot in Virginia. During the last election and I was handing out information, a distraught elderly woman and told me she was refused her right to vote because she had no photo ID. I was able to tell her that a photo ID was no longer necessary if she had some official document with her name and address on it. Fortunately, she had a utility bill with that information. She returned to the polling station, showed it to the worker and was able to vote. As she left the building, she told me that she was too old to drive and had no ID with a photo on it, so she was thrilled to learn that her right to vote had not been taken from her. Please don't deprive elderly citizens from exercising their constitutional right to participate in our democracy.
Voting is a right guaranteed to all citizens. Unless ID's to be used for voting are provided easily and free to all eligible voters, voter ID requirements amount to voter suppression. There is no discernible voter fraud in any Virginia elections that would be addressed by these voter ID laws.
HB1090, HB942, HB544, HB46, HB24, and HB121 Voting should be easy and cheating should be hard. requiring a Photo Voter ID is necessary to ensure only the eligible registered voters vote in our elections. Virginia Voter Photo Identification cards are available, free-of-charge, from any General Registrar’s office in Virginia. heres the link: https://www.elections.virginia.gov/media/archive/voter-photo-id/ELECT-404-ID-VoPhoIDCardApp-Long.pdf Mail in ballots are the most vunerable for fraud. Absentee ballots should only be sent to those requesting them, ID and signature required and the deadline for receipt of an absentee ballot by the date of the election. /drop boxes should only be inside registras office, polling locations and government offices under surveillance to prevent tampering. There should be no same day registration of voting this puts a burden on the registras office and allows those who want to cheat to relocated or who have moved to vote in more than one locality or state. The Voter rolls need to be up to date and accurate when early voting starts.
Virginia enacted several new voting laws in 2020 and 2021 to make voting more accessible during the pandemic. Early in-person voting hours were increased, mail-in absentee ballots no longer required a witness signature, more drop-box locations were available. These changes led to record voter turnout (with insignificant fraud) in both the 2020 presidential election and the 2021 gubernatorial election. Therefore I oppose any new bill that would restrict our rights to accessible voting.
Do not conflate privileges with rights. It is a privilege to drive, not a right. It also costs a lot of money to become a legal licensed driver. It should not cost any money to exercise a right. There are many citizens in our country who do not need a photo ID because their lives do not center around travel or activities that require an age verification like drinking alcohol. That said, I am not anti-photo ID. Satisfy the following conditions and you can have photo ID: All citizens receive a free citizenship photo ID upon turning 18 or being naturalized. These IDs are available for replacement in every local area that has a Walmart and Dollar General meaning it's as easy to get to as your corner store. This is how vaccination cards work. Getting a Covid-19 vaccination is easy and free and widely available. Make photo identification the same. We will support photo IDs for exercising our right to vote when they are free to citizens and widely available. Until then, voter identification fraud is so infinitesimal that it is statistically insignificant compared to the statistically significant percentage of people that will be disenfranchised for not having a photo ID.
Do not conflate privileges with rights. It is a privilege to drive, not a right. It also costs a lot of money to become a legal licensed driver. It should not cost any money to exercise a right. There are many citizens in our country who do not need a photo ID because their lives do not center around travel or activities that require an age verification like drinking alcohol. That said, I am not anti-photo ID. Satisfy the following conditions and you can have photo ID: All citizens receive a free citizenship photo ID upon turning 18 or being naturalized. These IDs are available for replacement in every local area that has a Walmart and Dollar General meaning it's as easy to get to as your corner store. We will support photo IDs for exercising our right to vote when they are free and widely available. Until then, voter identification fraud is so infinitesimal that it is statistically insignificant compared to the statistically significant percentage of people that will be disenfranchised for not having a photo ID.
Regarding HB1090, HB942, HB544, HB46, HB24, and HB121 = these voter id bills are actually unnecessary. There is no evidence that people are committing voter fraud on any meaningful scale, even in local elections. Voter ID laws can potentially deprive potential voters of their right to vote and/or reduce participation in local elections. As a conservative, I believe these kinds of laws are actually antithetical to what our country needs to be doing to increase civic participation. People like me have been forced to fill out provisional ballots in prior elections because it takes a while to get a govt photo ID and I know the cost can be prohibitive to people who don't think it's important. We should be making voting as reasonably easy and as low-cost as possible, and we should stop changing laws relating to voter ID and such so much because it can be confusing if this happens every other year. Thank you.
HB1090: Voter identifications bills are redundant and are a really lazy solution to a nonexistent problem. It's such an embarrassing waste of time to even be discussing this when the majority of eligible people don't even vote. Stop wasting time nitpicking on this and instead focus on an important issue like rising sea levels or outrageous housing prices.
Voting is a constitutional right. Any law that restricts rather than expands our constitutional right & DUTY to vote is simply voter suppression. We must not repeal any expansions of absentee ballots. Do not decrease early voting. - extend the number of days allowed. Do not eliminate any ballot box locations- expand. We have no need to re-register absentee ballots every year. No excuse absentee voting is absolutely crucial. The state must provide easy and free access to voter ID if a photo is required. Since the USPS has slowed considerably, we must keep the 3 day rule for receiving ballots after election day. All local elections must be on Election Day (in Nov). Election Day should be a holiday. Until we do a complete overhaul of campaign finance & eliminate dark money/special interests there must be no restrictions on outreach, education & registration or from where a candidate may collect funds. Voter registration up to and including Election Day is absolutely crucial to ensure all citizens vote. I support all bills expanding our rights and abilities to make voting as easy as possible. I oppose all bills attempting to restrict any access to our ballot and our vote. The process is too important for the elected officials to be able to restrict us from our duty to be informed voters. Keep expanding our rights. Do not restrict, suppress or subvert them.
Voter identifications bills are redundant and are a really lazy solution to a nonexistent problem. It's such an embarrassing waste of time to even be discussing this when the majority of eligible people don't even vote. Stop wasting time nitpicking on this and instead focus on an important issue like rising sea levels or outrageous housing prices.
I absolutely despise these bills. Our elections aren’t fraudulent and have no fraud that would change the outcome of a single election, so what’s the point of these bills? Why do you want to make voting harder? What’s the purpose of these extra hoops to jump through? These bills should be shot down quickly.
I strongly oppose HB1090. Unless approved photo identification is provided free to all eligible voters, the requirement constitutes a poll tax. If you were to create a situation whereby there is automatic voter registration for all eligible voters, and issuance of a free, approved identification card, then this requirement would be acceptable. Until that happens, this would simply place a burden on the poor and the elderly (who may no longer need a license to drive). That is not acceptable.
Voting should be easy and available That means that voters should have every option available to them, including No-excuse absentee voting, mail in voting, in person early voting and in person election day voting at enough locations to prevent long lines. The photo ID requirement is based on a false narrative around a kind of fraud that does not happen so a photo ID should not be required. Mobile device voting should be available. I can bank and pay my taxes from my computer or phone, I should be able to vote that way as well
I support all bills that require voter ID. There is no reason for not being able to obtain a photo ID. I also agree voters should have the right to designate in the voter records that a photo ID is required to cast a vote under said name
Requiring photo ID to vote, when the same requirement exists to receive other government benefits, receive a vaccination, etc., is a a common-sense requirement. Unfortunately, common sense seemed to have left the building over the last two years; perhaps it has returned.
I oppose HB1090, HB121, HB24, HB46, and HB942, all requiring a photo ID to vote. This is completely unnecessary and serves only to make it more difficult to cast a ballot in the commonwealth. HB1090 in particular is absolutely disgraceful. It would strike current provisions of the law allowing voters with certain disabilities who require assistance in voting to be provided that assistance.
HB24 - Voter identification; identification containing a photograph required.
Providing a photo identification is a common expectation to participate is the most mundane aspects of societal life, such as to buy alcohol, cigarettes, board an airplane, go to the doctor, register children into schools, get a library card, work for any employer, and of course to drive a car. Voting is a privilege granted to citizens and residents of VA. Requiring a photo ID is not burdensome and should be expected. I've worked as an election official. At no time during early voting or on election day did any voters complain about showing their ID. Polling shows that the vast majority of Americans want photo identification requirements in order to receive a ballot. Support HB24!
I am in favor of these bills to ensure honest and accurate election counts in the state of Virginia. This would include bills HB 1090, 1101, 1109, 121, 196,24,941,942,945,956 and HJ 65.
The VA NAACP doesn't support legislation that limits access to voters. Hb1090 Hb149 hb121 hb 249 hb 178 hb24 Support Hj9 hj130
Hello, I am Sami Watson, Field Coordinator with Hamkae Center. We work with Asian American voters across the state and we oppose House Bill 24. Many Americans do not have a valid photo ID, and research has shown that restrictive identification requirements disproportionately impact elderly, minority, and low-income voters. Despite being the fastest growing ethnic voting bloc in the state and the country, AAPI voters may be deterred from casting a ballot due to the cost and time needed to acquire a valid photo ID in order to vote. Acceptable ID should include other forms of non-photo identification and voters should be able to cast a regular ballot by signing an ID confirmation statement, subject to felony penalty. Thank you.
Election Integrity guarantees our voice is heard and the we can trust the system. It is foundational to the backbone of this country. It has been my astonishing revelation that this most SACRED of all abilities - believed to be held UP- in such esteem and REVERENCE yet in reality is trampled upon, disrespected and disgraced , given away with no value whatsoever in order to game the system. It is totally and completely unprotected. IT is UNTRUE. This reminds me of the snake oil salesmen who came into towns in the early days selling fakery and un-truths. As the American people come learn the truth - it IS happening now folks, make no mistake, they will ask the leadership to answer for this'd hold you accountable for this bait and switch. WE need real election integrity for LEGAL CITIZENS ONLY. WE NEED PRISTINELY CLEAN VOTER ROLLS. Here is the list of what we must do to repair and restore the trust of the American People. Establish laws enabling forensic audits and voter canvass Repeal same day voter registration Repeal no voter identification Repeal the permanent absentee ballot list Repeal no-excuse AB Repeal 3rd party mailing of AB Repeal ballot harvesting Eliminate AB drop boxes. We also want 1 day of voting, but anything less than 45 days would be better than nothing. Do not accept AB after Election DAY. Repeal pre-registration of 16 year olds Repeal automatic voter registration by DMV Please vote appropriately on ALL bills in support of these goals. Angela Boyer Great Falls Va 22066
Since there has never been any significant fraud in Virginia elections, we should keep and expand measures that make it easier for all of our citizens to participate the the most sacred of our democratic rights. There is no reason to make access to the ballot box tougher. We need to keep early voting, mail-in ballots, drop boxes, and enough polling places so there are not unreasonable wait times. The more citizens included in this process the stronger their involvement and commitment to their community, state, and nation.
I am in support of HB1855, only if it pertains to first time new voters only. There should be a cut off date prior to election day for new registration of voters. The day of election should not be when new voters are registered, as verification of ID and address becomes difficult at the polls. If a voter has moved but not updated their addresses, they should be required to either go back and vote at their original precinct (old address), or vote via provisional ballot based upon their new address. I am also in support of HB24, that would require a photo id, however, it should not be required that it be a state government or federally issued id.
Election Integrity depends on 3 primary things: REAL VOTER ID, the ELIMINATION OF VOTER DROP BOXES and NO ABSENTEE BALLOTS TO BE USED w/ THE exception for military assignments out of state or country.
SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM - Please Reject Confidence that our elections are fair is important. This is the paradox, though: raising alarms about election security, EVEN WHEN THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF CHEATING, is what undermines that confidence. Until you've made the case that there are people voting who shouldn't, or that there is cheating or foul play going on, there is no reason to make it harder to vote, which is what this bill does. We ALL benefit from widespread participation in elections. Making it less convenient and more expensive for people to vote is wrong. Please reject this bill. Thank you.
Voting should be easy and cheating should be hard. requiring a Photo Voter ID is necessary to ensure only the eligible registered voters vote in our elections. Virginia Voter Photo Identification cards are available, free-of-charge, from any General Registrar’s office in Virginia. heres the link: https://www.elections.virginia.gov/media/archive/voter-photo-id/ELECT-404-ID-VoPhoIDCardApp-Long.pdf Mail in ballots are the most vulnerable for fraud. Absentee ballots should only be sent to those requesting them, ID and signature required and the deadline for receipt of an absentee ballot by the date of the election. drop boxes should only be inside registras office, polling locations and government offices under surveillance to prevent tampering. There should be no same day registration of voting this puts a burden on the registras office and allows those who want to cheat to relocated or who have moved to vote in more than one locality or state. The Voter rolls need to be up to date and accurate when early voting starts.
The VA State Conference doesn't support any voter suppression bills that cause barriers to vote. HB 24 46 185 187 544 780 944 941 942 1090
As a Virginia resident, I am opposed to all of the proposed bills for this session. I am concerned that the restrictions may further challenge low-income Virginians’ ability to participate in elections. Thank you for your consideration.
Please oppose HB24, HB46, and HB185. We should be supporting legislation that expands access to voting and creates a stronger democracy. We all benefit when more people are able to vote and have a direct influence in our democratic process. Requiring photo IDs and limiting same-day voter registration limit participation in our democratic process and do not make our elections more secure.
Voting should be simple, quick, and accesible to everyone. We have a lot of elderly and/or disabled residents, people who don't have access to a car, or members of the military serving overseas. Our legislators in Richmond should be working to make every Virginia's voice is heard. In addition, returning citizens should be eligible to vote once their sentence is completed. If they've served their time in prison as determined by a judge and/or jury, no purpose is served by denying them the right to vote.
Voting is a right guaranteed to all citizens. Unless ID's to be used for voting are provided easily and free to all eligible voters, voter ID requirements amount to voter suppression. There is no discernible voter fraud in any Virginia elections that would be addressed by these voter ID laws.
Virginia enacted several new voting laws in 2020 and 2021 to make voting more accessible during the pandemic. Early in-person voting hours were increased, mail-in absentee ballots no longer required a witness signature, more drop-box locations were available. These changes led to record voter turnout (with insignificant fraud) in both the 2020 presidential election and the 2021 gubernatorial election. Therefore I oppose any new bill that would restrict our rights to accessible voting.
Do not conflate privileges with rights. It is a privilege to drive, not a right. It also costs a lot of money to become a legal licensed driver. It should not cost any money to exercise a right. There are many citizens in our country who do not need a photo ID because their lives do not center around travel or activities that require an age verification like drinking alcohol. That said, I am not anti-photo ID. Satisfy the following conditions and you can have photo ID: All citizens receive a free citizenship photo ID upon turning 18 or being naturalized. These IDs are available for replacement in every local area that has a Walmart and Dollar General meaning it's as easy to get to as your corner store. This is how vaccination cards work. Getting a Covid-19 vaccination is easy and free and widely available. Make photo identification the same. We will support photo IDs for exercising our right to vote when they are free to citizens and widely available. Until then, voter identification fraud is so infinitesimal that it is statistically insignificant compared to the statistically significant percentage of people that will be disenfranchised for not having a photo ID.
Regarding HB1090, HB942, HB544, HB46, HB24, and HB121 = these voter id bills are actually unnecessary. There is no evidence that people are committing voter fraud on any meaningful scale, even in local elections. Voter ID laws can potentially deprive potential voters of their right to vote and/or reduce participation in local elections. As a conservative, I believe these kinds of laws are actually antithetical to what our country needs to be doing to increase civic participation. People like me have been forced to fill out provisional ballots in prior elections because it takes a while to get a govt photo ID and I know the cost can be prohibitive to people who don't think it's important. We should be making voting as reasonably easy and as low-cost as possible, and we should stop changing laws relating to voter ID and such so much because it can be confusing if this happens every other year. Thank you.
Voting is a constitutional right. Any law that restricts rather than expands our constitutional right & DUTY to vote is simply voter suppression. We must not repeal any expansions of absentee ballots. Do not decrease early voting. - extend the number of days allowed. Do not eliminate any ballot box locations- expand. We have no need to re-register absentee ballots every year. No excuse absentee voting is absolutely crucial. The state must provide easy and free access to voter ID if a photo is required. Since the USPS has slowed considerably, we must keep the 3 day rule for receiving ballots after election day. All local elections must be on Election Day (in Nov). Election Day should be a holiday. Until we do a complete overhaul of campaign finance & eliminate dark money/special interests there must be no restrictions on outreach, education & registration or from where a candidate may collect funds. Voter registration up to and including Election Day is absolutely crucial to ensure all citizens vote. I support all bills expanding our rights and abilities to make voting as easy as possible. I oppose all bills attempting to restrict any access to our ballot and our vote. The process is too important for the elected officials to be able to restrict us from our duty to be informed voters. Keep expanding our rights. Do not restrict, suppress or subvert them.
I oppose HB1090, HB121, HB24, HB46, and HB942, all requiring a photo ID to vote. This is completely unnecessary and serves only to make it more difficult to cast a ballot in the commonwealth. HB1090 in particular is absolutely disgraceful. It would strike current provisions of the law allowing voters with certain disabilities who require assistance in voting to be provided that assistance.