Comments Document

The League of Weinberg Voters of Virginia conducted a two year study that was approved by each of our Local Leagues throughout the Commonwealth, providing our policy recommendations on campaign finance. We hope this will help inform your deliberations on these important issues.

The League of Women Voters supports HB 40 and HB 629. Currently, Virginia has no legal restrictions on how candidates can use their campaign funds, except for surplus funds at the end of a campaign or term of office. As such, Virginia has rightfully earned its rank of 46 out of 51 on the non-partisan Coalition for Integrity’s S.W.A.M.P. Index. We hope you will expand the provision allowing for campaign funds to be used for childcare expenses be expanded to all dependent care, as in Delegate Cherry’s version of the bill. This bill is a welcome step toward strengthening Virginia’s campaign finance laws.

To: Members of the House Privileges and Elections Subcommittee on Campaign Finance From: Lauren Coletta, Senior Advisor, Common Cause Virginia My name is Lauren Coletta, and I am a Senior Advisor with Common Cause Virginia, a nonpartisan, grassroots organization with 20,000 members across the Commonwealth dedicated to upholding the core values of democracy in Virginia. I write to you today in favor of reforming our campaign finance system, particularly urging your support for HB40. As you may know, in the early 1990s, Governor Wilder of Virginia conducted a study to examine deficiencies in the Virginia campaign finance system; despite its many findings, virtually no relevant legislation has been passed addressing the issues raised in the report. Today, Virginia’s campaign finance laws can be regarded, charitably, as in need of renewal. According to most studies on the issue, Virginia ranks amongst the worst states in nearly every facet of campaign finance regulations. To name a few areas where there are generally no laws or regulations: personal use of campaign donations, the amount of money given by individuals or PACs (both in-state and out-of-state), sanctions for incomplete or inaccurate campaign finance disclosure forms, and no regulations on the use of dark money. Political Action Committees, commonly known as PACs, do not need to report for over a month before election day; there is little transparency regarding independent expenditures, and there is lackluster enforcement for issues regarding incomplete or late reporting. While legislation has been introduced to address these issues and countless other issues regarding campaign finance reform, they have failed to pass the General Assembly. This is not a partisan issue but a pro-democracy issue we desperately need to address. Common Cause Virginia encourages the House Privileges and Elections Subcommittee on Campaign Finance members to support HB40.

My name is Bill Millhouser and I am a resident to Fairfax County. I am member of BigMoneyOutVa and strongly believe that strong campaign finance laws are a key to good governance and building confidence among voters that legislators work for their citizens. We hope that 2024 will finally be the year that that you enact these essential campaign finance bills: • HB 40 and HB 629 - Restricts personal use of campaign funds. • HB 276 - Improves disclosure requirements related to independent expenditures. • HB 874 - Limits campaign contributions. • HB 1045 - Introduces public financing of elections. With regard to HB 40 and HB 629, I am in complete agreement with the comments of Nancy Morgan -- it time to enact these common sense restriction on the personal use of campaign funds.

My name is Jessica Mott, from Arlington VA. I am a member of the executive committee of the grassroots group We of Action (WofA). I support HB 40 and HB 629, which would restrict personal use of campaign funds. As a campaign contributor, it is important for me to have the confidence that my donations are being used for their intended purpose, the campaign expenses. This trust requires my knowing that candidates are restricted from using these funds for their personal use. This bill establishes well-defined and consistent standards of what does and does not entail personal use, so that all candidates are subject to the same yardstick. It includes measures to ensure that candidates understand the requirements, and provisions to prevent and penalize frivolous complaints. Virginia ranks poorly on campaign finance laws compared with other states, especially regarding restrictions on personal use. According to a 2021 opinion poll, 73% of Virginians support restricting personal use of campaign funds. Passage of this bill is long overdue and should be low hanging fruit. I urge that you all support this bill.

I’m Nancy Morgan, Coordinator of BigMoneyOutVA. We support this bill. As you well know, Virginia is unique in this country in that its legislators can take unlimited donations and spend the money on themselves, such as taking a vacation, paying off a mortgage, or financing your child’s school. Obviously, Virginians are amazed that this bill can’t get out of chambers, even after being introduced every year from 2014. This bill was discussed for hours during 2021 taxpayer-funded bicameral-bipartisan Joint Subcommittee. There is no excuse for not passing a common-sense bill. The bill addresses frivolous complaints through the establishment of a robust and confidential review process, and moves Virginia forward in terms of good governance legislation. The voters of Virginia, 73 percent of whom, in recent polling by the Wason Center, support restricting the personal use of campaign funds, hope that you pass this bill.

WOOHOO campaign finance reform time!!!

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Comments Document

The League of Weinberg Voters of Virginia conducted a two year study that was approved by each of our Local Leagues throughout the Commonwealth, providing our policy recommendations on campaign finance. We hope this will help inform your deliberations on these important issues.

The League of Women Voters supports HB 126. This bill will encourage candidates to provide voters with up-to-date campaign finance information; voters need to know who is contributing and how much is contributed to all candidates for an office sufficiently in advance of casting their ballot.

The League of Women Voters of Virginia supports HB276. This legislation would expand transparency in campaign contributions and expenditures. By requiring the naming of top donors to paid advertisements in all forms of media, the bill discourages the temptation to “buy” influence and leads to greater accountability to the electorate.

My name is Jessica Mott, from Arlington VA. I am a member of the executive committees of the grassroots group We of Action (WofA). I support HB 276, which would strengthen the disclosure of independent expenditures on elections. As an active and responsible citizen, it is important for me to be able to assess information and views about candidate and referenda campaigns. This assessment requires knowing the sources and donors who sponsor electoral advertisements, including when these advertisements are funded independently of campaign committees. I know that, in common with other voters, I don’t like being poorly informed or manipulated. HB 276 will increase voter access to information on advertisements funded by independent expenditure by requiring disclosure of the key funders within the advertisement themselves. This greater disclosure should help discourage the influence of dark money in Virginia’s elections. This disclosure does not undermine freedom of speech. The Supreme Court 2010 Citizen’s United ruling stated that “transparency enables the electorate to make informed decisions and give proper weight to different speakers and messages”. I urge that you all support this bill.

Public financing of elections: Marcus Simon (HB 1045) BigMoneyOutVA supports this bill which establishes a tried and true mechanism to amplify the voices of our citizens in our elections. Public financing of elections programs have been effective in reducing the influence of large corporate and wealthy donors while encouraging candidates from diverse backgrounds to run for public office. The provisions of this bill (small donor progressive match) mirrors some of the successful programs implemented around the country: 14 states and in nearly 40 local jurisdictions. It also-and importantly, uses a creative mechanism for funding the program, rather than using tax-payer dollars, it is financed through an optional check off through the Virginia tax filing. It is a voluntary program of small donor public financing for state elections which and creates a unique incentive for candidates to engage with many supporters. Rather than spending time courting lobbyists, candidates are encouraged to actually talk to voters. …. Something that is supposed to happen in election campaigning. We hope that you pass this bill.

My names is Nancy Morgan, member of BigMoneyOutVA, a non-partisan group advocating for campaign finance reform. We support this bill which was crafted drawing on the many provisions coming out of the 2021 bipartisan, bicarmeral meetings of the Sub-Committee on Campaign Finance. It also draws on national best practices incorporated into similar legislation adopted and passed in states like Arizona, Alaska, and Rhode Island. The objective of the bill is to protect legislators & candidates from obscure attack ads which have proliferated since the Supreme Court’s ruling on Citizens United. Many of your colleagues from this body have been subject to similar attacks, especially before primaries. Just to remind you, after Citizens United was passed in 2010, the justices on the Supreme Court voted 8-1 in favor of full disclosure. Justice Scalia was quoted that “requiring people to stand up in public for their political acts fosters public fosters civic courage, without which democracy is doomed”. You might hear today from dark money groups that their speech needs to be private, referencing the 1958 NAACP-Alabama case safeguarding that group’s right of association and privacy in the context of the violence of the Civil Rights Era.. However, Supreme Court justices agreed that total disclosure is important for the public interest. We hope that you as public servants agree. Thanks to Del Helmer for introducing this bill which is designed to protect legislators and enhance disclosure for voters so we know who is trying to influence our elections. It protects legislators when they are running for office and among voters it builds trust in government. It’s a win-win for voters and legislators. We hope that you pass this bill.

HB 658 - Should not pass. Arlington declined to use this for their general election therefore it should be demoted in use not promoted. Most localities do not have the software required to extract Cast Vote Records today. Extending this capability to general elections will force counties who are already stretched thin financially for elections to seek emergency funding for a solution where no problem exists. Do not support this bill.

I am asking members of this committee to vote YES on HB658, which encourages localities across our Commonwealth to use Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) in their elections and provides clarification and procedures to assist administration. RCV is one of three major elements of the Forward Party's election reform policy platform (in addition to nonpartisan primaries and independent redistricting commissions). RCV enhances voters' voice and influence because it captures more information about our preferences. This reduces strategic voting - the urge to withhold support for a favorite to avoid spoiling a race or wasting a vote. RCV also enhances trust in the system by providing evidence that the winner has majority support (not just a plurality). Finally, RCV provides incentives for candidates to appeal to all voters, because the method places value on their choices for alternatives. This in turn reduces the perceived need to conduct negative campaigns that are driving many voters away from participation in our political system. Please help restore choice and confidence in our elections by supporting this bill.

I support HB 658. Primary elections often have more than two candidates per party, and in such situations, ranked choice voting expresses the will of the voter more faithfully.

Veterans for All Voters supports HG 658. Localities should have the option of using RCV in all local elections, including elections for constitutional offices. Thanks, Mike Cantwell Virginia Task Force Lead - Veterans for All Voters 703-7886-3922

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My name is Jessica Mott, from Arlington VA. I am a member of the executive committees of the grassroots group We of Action (WofA). I support HB 730, which would require electronic filing of independent expenditures, in line with norms already established in other states. I urge that you all support this bill.

Comments Document

The League of Weinberg Voters of Virginia conducted a two year study that was approved by each of our Local Leagues throughout the Commonwealth, providing our policy recommendations on campaign finance. We hope this will help inform your deliberations on these important issues.

The League of Women Voters supports HB 730. The League strongly supports providing voters with comprehensive and up-to-date campaign finance information on independent expenditures. Providing for electronic filing of these campaign finance reports will make the information available readily accessible to all voters.

My name is Jessica Mott, from Arlington VA. I am a member of the executive committees of the grassroots group We of Action (WofA). I support HB 730, which would require electronic filing of independent expenditures, in line with norms already established in other states. I urge that you all support this bill.

Nancy Morgan, BigMoneyOutVA. This is an important and critical bill for ensuring timely and adequate disclosure of money coming from groups using independent expenditures, ie all monies using in electioneering communication which is not linked to a campaign, to influence our elections. Virginians, 88 percent of them, irrespective of party, want full disclosure of money spent on our elections in Virginia. Currently it is embarrassing that groups funneling money to influence our elections, including dark money groups, are only required to report by scanning or faxing documents to the Dept of Elections. We have the technology for these expenditures to be reported electronically and it makes the work easier for staff at the Dept of Elections. This is a best practice adopted by most states and just common sense in terms of campaign finance reporting requirements. Thanks to Del Sickles for submitting this bill.

Student turnout has been historically low across the Commonwealth. This legislation would improve college student voter turnout by opening early voting locations on campuses for students registered at college. I believe this legislation would be very helpful for College students in Southwest and Valley Virginia as in some counties, the early voting location can be very far away, and many college students don’t have the beforehand knowledge of the location. I encourage the legislators to pass this important bill.

Fair Elections Center and its Campus Vote Project write in support of HB 941, which would would require absentee in-person sites on campus of public four-year higher education institutions with enrollment of 3000 or more. This bill would help eliminate barriers to voting for students. Travel to off-campus voting sites is exacerbated for many on-campus students by prohibitions on having vehicles at school due to parking constraints, or even outright vehicle bans for freshman and/or sophomores at some institutions. Campus polling places during early voting offer students the same opportunity to vote in their community as other voters. We also suggest that the bill be expanded to include two-year public institutions with the same enrollment to increase access in the large population of Virginias who attend community colleges in the Commonwealth. Thank you.

I support HB941 wholeheartedly. College students, deserve to able to vote with the same ease as every other person.

I support HB 941. As a current undergraduate student at Old Dominion University who has worked on voter registration & engagement efforts on my school campus, I can speak to benefits of this legislation. In a world with rising inflation and stagnant pay, making it easier for college students living on and around campus to more easily find time to vote when going between classes, study sessions, on-campus jobs, and social activities. Furthermore, by ensuring that college students at the largest institutions in the state have access to an on-campus voting site, students from out of town who are unfamiliar with the local area can more easily and comfortably vote at a location more familiar to them than those off campus.

I am Jon Murdoch, a Senior at Virginia Wesleyan University, and a person who's main priority for this government is making sure that the General Assembly is well represented, both in terms of the Electoral process and in terms of enabling our elected officials to pass legislation that helps their constituents. In this comment, I am advocating for the passage of HB 941. As a college student, I see a trend when it comes to elections; that college students don't vote. As a population, this is reflected in the below-average rates of young people voting compared to voters of different ages. When looking into why, two main reasons appear: that it is too inconvenient to vote; and a general disillusionment with the Electoral process and/or politics as a whole. HB 941 helps relieve some of the issues by ensuring that students, especially those without a car, can be able to vote, even if they are overloaded with classwork on the day of the election. This is because this legislation provides access to an early Voting satellite location on campus. This allows more students to vote without potentially losing time that waiting in a line on election day would allow. This provides convenience to college voters, making sure that they can express their vote to elect those that they agree to represent them in federal, state, and local affairs. Lastly, this legislation is reasonable. By having an minimum enrollment requirement, the burden on election boards to put a satellite location is minimized, as they do not have to expend resources on locations where there are not a significant amount of voters. As my school would also fall under the minimum enrollment requirement, my school would not be able to benefit from this legislation. Nonetheless, the benefit is clear, with reasonable restrictions that mitigate significant financial investments on the local level. I urge all legislators to pass this legislation.

This bill is a critical step forward in eliminating barriers to students being able to vote! As a 5th year Master's student who has worked in voter registration and on campaigns here, I believe this bill will have a substantial effect on facilitating student voting. This bill promotes getting young people engaged in our democracy and eliminating barriers to the ballot, which are both fantastic steps for Virginia!

I attended William and Mary and I think this is a good idea and will make students more likely to vote.

Requiring early voting as an option on college campuses through HB941 will empower democracy in Virginia. During my time at UVA, a professor who taught a foundational course with hundreds of student per lecture would schedule an exam on Election Day every single year. Without fail. Several students early into their college experience would not get the opportunity to vote. Offering early voting will mitigate voter suppression tactics like these that operate under the guise of academic pursuit.

This would mean the world to me, as a UVA student with a busy work and school life. I try to keep up on everything but this flexibility would be a game-changer. Just a little extra grace to allow students to vote conveniently and easily is such a low-stakes, high-reward investment that could make such a big difference.

I would like to encourage delegates to vote in favor of this bill to expand satellite early voting locations to college campuses. We should be breaking down barriers to make it easier for people to vote, especially young voters who will likely be voting for the first time. The more people engaged in democracy the better our Commonwealth.

Comments Document

The Virginia Civic Engagement Table is a nonpartisan voting rights and civic engagement 501(c)(3) organization based in Richmond, VA. It anchors the Virginia Election Protection Coalition, the Commonwealth’s largest nonpartisan pro-voter coalition that works year-round to advance the freedom to vote. Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony on this important election measure. The Virginia Civic Engagement Table strongly supports HB 941, a crucial initiative aimed at eliminating obstacles to the freedom to vote for students in the Commonwealth. Establishing early voting sites on campuses of over 3,000 students is a pivotal step in empowering Virginia’s college students, who often face unique challenges in accessing transportation, to actively participate in the democratic process of our Commonwealth. This bill would eliminate a difficult barrier for Virginia voters. The attached document outlines the logistical challenges faced by Virginia's college and university students when attempting to reach their nearest early voting locations. On average, it takes 19 minutes round trip by car, 59 minutes by transit, and a substantial 142 minutes by foot to vote early on the first day of early voting in 2023. Given the unique challenge of students who lack reliable access to personal vehicles, it is evident that the Commonwealth can and should do more to fulfill the democratic promise for our student populations. This bill would help reduce long lines on election day on these campuses. The introduction of same-day registration in 2022 has led to increased lines on college campuses during elections, primarily due to the additional administrative time required for voter intake. By ensuring accessible early voting opportunities on college campuses, the Commonwealth can alleviate these long lines and ease the burden on our dedicated election workers.

Due to emergency, I am unable to be in Richmond, but would like to speak to the two bills noted. Thank you