I am in favor of open primaries that do not require individuals to state a party to which they are affiliated. All voters should be allowed to make their choices based upon their evaluation of the candidates. Please do not disenfranchise anyone. Thank you.

All of my adult life I have been unaffiliated with a political party. I frequently vote in primaries, using my right to vote at an early and influential time. I am strongly against HB56, which would close primaries only to residents registered with a party. Please don't disenfranchise me and other independent citizens.

Good afternoon. Thank you for allowing me to provide my input. I believe HB 56, 90, and 1439 would restrict participation by independent voters in the political election system. The aforementioned bills would force citizens to align themselves with a particular party in order to participate in the election of their representatives. This creates a barrier for the exchange of ideas and positions amongst independent voter and literally forces people to choose a camp. These type of thinking reduces variables for politicians trying to coalesce and quantify their support, but poisons civics, creating a negative polarizing effect on the constituency.

Dear Delegates and Privileges and Elections Committee Members, HB56 and HB1439 are scheduled today at 4:00pm to be heard in committee with public testimony. These bills would force Virginians to register with a party in order to vote in the primary and put the power to decide who can and can’t vote in the primaries in the hands of political party leaders. WHY THAT’S BAD FOR VIRGINIA: Every voter would have to re-register and declare a party affiliation. For the first time ever, the state of Virginia would require you to label yourself politically and publicly and maintain that record with the state. That’s a gross invasion of voter privacy. The state of Virginia would have to spend millions of dollars to re-register voters, retrain election workers and revamp election administration on an ongoing basis and Virginia taxpayers would foot the bill. It would allow political party leaders to deny anyone who chooses to register as an independent the right to vote in the primary. Independent-minded voters would be forced to wait until the often meaningless general election. It would greatly diminish the freedom of all Virginians to decide, election by election, whether to vote in a Democratic or Republican primary based on the issues and candidates presented to them. Closed primaries restrict choice for all Virginians. Respectfully, Dale Farrand

I have spent the past 50+ years as an unaffiliated voter, beholden to no political party, but my vote is as important as any other Virginian's. I believe that I am better able, when unencumbered by party politics, to evaluate candidates to determine who is the best qualified to address the issues our state and federal government are facing at any given time. That's not a popular thought among party diehards but I know that neither Republicans, or Democrats, have all of the solutions all of the time for every issue. To believe otherwise is extremely naive, and this desire to shove everyone into a box is precisely why it's been so difficult to find compromise and pass bi-partisan legislation. This bill penalizes unaffiliated voters for being independent thinkers. All Virginians should have equal opportunity when it comes to our most valued right...the right to vote and be part of the voting process. By requiring voters to commit to a party this bill will deny unaffiliated voters the opportunity to have a say in the choice of candidate, just as any Republican or Democrat is able to do. Again I ask, please vote against moving Virginia to a partially closed primary.

Veterans for All Voters opposes HB 56 Governments should neither fund, nor run, partisan primaries. If local and state governments fund and run partisan primaries, they should be open to all voters. Mike Cantwell Virginia Lead - Veterans for All voters 703-786-3922

HB 56 takes Virginia elections in the wrong direction. It is crucial that we broaden the participation of citizens in our democratic processes so that our leaders are truly representative of the majority. Virginians should not be governed by a minority that represents the narrow interests of the most strident supporters in any particular party. Democracy is harmed by party registration and by the inevitable closed primaries that will result.

At first blush this bill seems to be a pretty simple change that allows voters to indicate a political party affiliation on their voter registration. But in the fine print it allows the state party chairman of each political party to provide to the State Board of Elections the rules for participation in the party's primary elections. Clearly this will allow each political party "to close" its primary to only its registered members and exclude not only other party registrants, but all independents as well. That would be fine if the political party were funding the bill for their political primaries, but they are not! Political primaries in Virginia are conducted and funded by the local counties and cities, This seeming innocent change would cut taxpaying citizens out of the opportunity to vote in an election they are paying for. That's just wrong. There is a reason why a plurality of US voters now self-identity themselves as independent----because the two major parties are increasingly not representing them. This bill seeks to preserve the power of the political parties, and not the interests of the people. I urge that HB 56 be rejected.

"I don't care who does the electing, so long as I get to do the nominating." - Boss Tweed HB 56 seeks to consolidate power among a select group at the expense of broader participation. By partially closing the primary system, it has the potential to disenfranchise independent voters from a critical part of the selection process. It may also result in lower overall voter turnout. If fewer people can participate in primaries, it's more likely they will be less engaged with the overall political process. This is particularly true with young voters, who are often less likely to be affiliated with a particular party. In addition, by silencing the voice of the middle, this will ultimately lead to more polarizing and extremist candidates. In an increasingly divisive world, we need more moderate candidates who appeal to the broader electorate instead of only the far ends of the political spectrum. Just as the infamous politician Boss Tweed understood the strategic importance of nominations in controlling political outcomes, the bill's proponents recognize the role of primaries in shaping elections. But a healthy, well-functioning democracy requires inclusivity and representation. I urge this committee to uphold these fundamental principles of democracy by voting "no" on HB 56. Thank you for your time.

As a Virginia voter who identifies as an Independent, I firmly believe in the necessity of allowing third-party voting in primary elections. The current legislative proposal, HB 56, fundamentally misunderstands the nature of primary elections. Contrary to the assumptions of HB 56, political parties should not have exclusive control over these critical democratic processes. Primary elections are pivotal in determining the final candidates for public office, often deciding the outcome of the election before the general vote. This makes the exclusion of non-party members from primary voting not just undemocratic but also disenfranchising. Virginia's trend of legislation that seeks to limit the participation of Independent voters, like HB 2278, which I actively opposed, is alarming. Such partisan legislation is out of touch with the reality of voter sentiment. More Americans now identify as Independents than as members of either major party. Excluding this growing voter base undermines the democratic principle of broad participation and leads to policies that do not reflect the diverse opinions and needs of all Virginians. A more inclusive and forward-thinking approach would be to adopt a nonpartisan primary system. This system would place all candidates on a single ballot, irrespective of their party affiliation. Such a reform, which is supported by the Forward Party, would lead to increased voter participation, reduced polarization, greater accountability, lower costs, and improved representation. Additionally, the implementation of ranked-choice voting in primaries and general elections would encourage a more positive and strategic approach to voting, promoting majority support and saving resources. Therefore, I urge the committee to reject HB 56 and consider these progressive reforms for the 2025 legislative session. Such changes are not just about inclusivity but also about ensuring a fair, representative, and efficient democratic process in Virginia.

I’m an Independent voter, and I oppose HB 56 because its premise is that political parties rightfully own and control primary elections – which I do not accept. It is a step backwards from a system that requires merely choosing a ballot to one that could require party membership to exercise our right to vote. This is no small step, because the outcomes of many races are effectively determined in the primary, and while current law limits participation of all voters equally, this change grants political parties the power to exclude and thus disenfranchise all non-members. HB 56 is just the latest attempt here in Virginia to exclude Independent voters. During the 2021 Assembly, I testified against HB 2278, which also sought to require registration by party, and for the same purpose. Fortunately, this committee killed it. Partisan legislation like this demonstrates a tone deafness to voter sentiment that feeds the growing movement toward political independence. Polling indicates that the percentage of voters in the U.S. who identify themselves as Independents exceeds those identifying with either major party. Excluding us is not just wrong because it violates the principle of democratic participation. It means that policies are more likely to represent the interests of an increasingly unrepresentative group of Virginians. A better option would be a nonpartisan primary that places all candidates on one ballot. This reform is endorsed by the Forward Party because it expands voter participation, reduces polarization, increases accountability, lowers costs, and improves representation. Our party also endorses use of ranked-choice voting to select candidates in a primary or general election, because it promotes majority support, reduces strategic voting, encourages positive campaigning, and saves money. I encourage this committee to vote NO on HB 56 and consider, for the 2025 session, reforms that look forward instead of backward.

The Virginia NAACP is opposed to this bill. We believe in open primaries.

Please vote no on HB 90. We cannot expect to know all the reasons why a candidate would withdraw from a party nomination and then decide to run in a general election, as an independent or with another party. Some situations might be considered "sore loser." But other situations, a candidate may have legitimate reasons to leave a political party. Voters need more choices in General Elections, not fewer choices.

Good afternoon. Thank you for allowing me to provide my input. I believe HB 56, 90, and 1439 would restrict participation by independent voters in the political election system. The aforementioned bills would force citizens to align themselves with a particular party in order to participate in the election of their representatives. This creates a barrier for the exchange of ideas and positions amongst independent voter and literally forces people to choose a camp. These type of thinking reduces variables for politicians trying to coalesce and quantify their support, but poisons civics, creating a negative polarizing effect on the constituency.

(Please remove my previous comments) Veterans for All Voters opposes HB 90. HB 90 adds additional barriers to Independent candidates. Independent candidates should be able to have their names printed on the general election ballot even if they decide to withdraw from a party nominating process before the primary election date. If HB 90 is enacted into law, voters will have fewer choices in the general election. Voters want more choices, not less. More choices. More Voices. Please vote to lay HB 90 on the table.

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. The Virginia Civic Engagement Table strongly supports HB185’s measures that implement a clearer process for legal challenges to a candidate’s qualifications or eligibility. The will of Virginia’s voters must be protected from bad-faith efforts to nullify votes or overturn elections.

HB1003 is a no brainer; I can't believe this notice of polling place changes isn't standard procedure already. Support HB1045 looks great as well, would be a huge step towards making elections more about who has the most popular ideas rather than who can raise the most money. Support HB375 is the main reason I'm commenting; the electoral college is outdated and provides voters in some states with much more power than others. Until the electoral college can be abolished by constitutional amendment, this compact is a great way of ensuring that ALL the people of this country choose its president, not just those in a few swing states. It saddens me to see how many people in the comments on this bill are against this common sense change. Major support SB270 is another no brainer; allowing voters to express their preferences beyond a winner take all system would be a huge win for democracy in the state of Virginia. Support

I am writing to urge you to vote against HB 375 and protect the Electoral College for presidential elections. The NPV Compact is an attempt to circumvent the Constitution, letting fewer than 20 states determine the results of our elections. Protect the rights of less populated states to have their voices heard. The links below shows the outsize effect that densely populated areas would have on the rest of the US https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/04/visualisation-the-extreme-variations-of-new-york-population-density/ https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/04/visualisation-the-extreme-variations-of-new-york-population-density/

The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact disenfranchises Virginia voters by automatically giving all electors to the Presidential candidate who receives the most votes nationwide, regardless of the preference of state citizens. For example, if the majority of Virginians voted for Joe Biden, but Donald Trump received more popular votes, all Virginia electors would be given to Trump. This would be very hard to explain to your constituents who are probably unaware of the compact, and its binding nature. Also, NPVIC supporters have emphasized that, once the compact reaches 270 electoral votes, the electors from other states are "not needed". (See attached screenshot from their site.) In today's Supreme Court hearing, Justice Kagan expressed great skepticism about whether a state should have the power to decide an election on behalf of the entire nation. In a similar vein, the NPVIC member states would determine Presidential election results, rendering the votes of all non-compact states irrelevant. This would result in significant legal challenges to the election. The NPVIC is flawed and dangerous legislation. Please vote to defer HB-375. Thank you.

I consider HB375 to be a very dangerous bill that if passed would cause severe damage to our democracy here not only in Virginia but in the entire United States. The only voters who would benefit from HB375 would be the voters in the inner cities of large metropolitan areas. It is no surprise to me that liberals are pushing for the National Popular Vote, as they have for many decades now been doing very well in elections in the very large cities and have controlled many of them for the last three or four decades now at least. The only reason that they want to abandon the system that our very wise founding fathers created is because they would immediately stand to gain by doing away with the electoral college, for the time being. Our founding fathers created the electoral college system to create a more fair and balanced voting system that allowed all states to have an equal say in any National election. An election based on NPV would give an unfair advantage to cities such as New York and Los Angeles, among others like them. It would also give a very unfair advantage to heavily populated areas and cities like the ones that I mentioned over all of the rural areas of the country. States like Wyoming and Alaska would virtually have no representation or say in an election at all. Even here in Virginia, most voters would be disenfranchised in a National election. Please think about the damage this bill would do and all of the disenfranchisement that it would cause if it is passed. I don't like the idea of allowing New York and Los Angeles and a couple of other cities to decide virtually all of our National elections, but that is exactly what will happen if this bill is ever passed and gains enough support. Vote against it if you really support our Republic.

Our country is a republic ( reference the constitution) and the electoral college promotes a republic. All states are and should be equally heard. Popular vote simply promotes numbers . High population areas would have too much influence over national elections. All states should be represented equally. In the senate they are and in the House there are provisions for population by adding reps. National Popular Vote is another socialist plan for the downfall of our Republic. Please see this for what it is and protect our country and our Constitution.

Please stop destroying our country and our election system. It was meticulously well thought out and has worked flawlessly for over two hundred years. There is a reason we have the electoral college, and it is an extremely important tool in promoting fairness in our election system. I'm 47 years old, and I had never heard anyone ever criticize it until the election of 2016. That was the first time in my life I ever heard anyone criticize the electoral college, and to be completely honest, the only reason they criticized it then is because they lost. You lose one election and you want to upend over two hundred years of problem free voting to contort the system to your favor. Honestly most Americans want stricter rules for voting. No one asked for electronic voting machines, they were more or less imposed upon us without our input. We need to go back to paper ballots, one day voting, voter I.D., and the tried & true electoral college system, and we're good. If you want to instill trust in the system, you need simplicity & transparency. It's just that simple. Thank you and good day.

Please OPPOSE HB375 and keep Virginia out of the NPV compact so that Virginia's voters keep our own voice rather than surrendering it to more populous states like NY, CA and TX, The American Founders considered, and, in their wisdom, rejected a national popular vote because it would lack checks and balances to protect minority rights and limit corruption. You should respect their wisdom and review their extensive deliberations rather than rushing into making partisan-monitivated mistakes that will hurt Virginia.

Virginia Electors should be the electors of the majority of Virginia voters not part of some national popular vote, otherwise Virginians are being disenfranchised by large states.

Virginia would lose its unique voice with NPV. The Electoral College turns swing states into microcosms of America, where candidates are forced to go beyond the big cities and reach out to all kinds of people. NPV would allow a candidate to win without any sort of majority, encouraging more candidates to run and thus ensuring that future Presidents get elected with smaller and smaller pluralities. NPV leaves the Electoral College structure in place but eliminates its effects thus doing away with its benefits. This would lead to uncertainty, instability, and a constitutional crisis. The American Founders considered and rejected a national popular vote because it would lack checks and balances to protect minority rights and limit corruption.

Please protect SW Virginis from the mob rule which popular vote only would inflict upon us and the biggest part of the state. The founding fathers knew what was best for our republic.

If the Electoral College is removed, we are no longer a democratic republic. The Electoral College forces candidates to go beyond the big cities and reach out to all kinds of people. Virginia would give up some of its sovereignty by becoming part of an interstate compact that would determine who is elected president. NPV essentially destroys the Constitutional process by bypassing it. The Electoral College keeps individual states in charge of elections. NPV would allow a candidate to win without any sort of majority, encouraging more candidates to run and thus ensuring that future Presidents get elected with smaller and smaller pluralities. NPV leaves the Electoral College structure in place but eliminates its effects thus doing away with its benefits. This would lead to uncertainty, instability, and a constitutional crisis. The American Founders considered and rejected a national popular vote because it would lack checks and balances to protect minority rights and limit corruption.

Judging purely on the organizations who are promoting it, Ranked Choice Voting is the most cleverly disguised partisan attempt to give dominance to a single political party that this country has ever seen. It is complicated, will require an extensive and expensive educational effort to ensure voters know how to fill out a ballot correctly, and patently violates the traditional "one person/one vote concept with has been the bulwark of elections in this country since its inception. Having to discern the voter's intent, rare at present, will become a commonplace requirement laid on General Registrars and Election officials if RCV is ever mandated.

The National Popular Vote (HB 375) initiative is absolutely abhorrent. It suppresses the unique voices of the individual states and holds rural areas hostage to the whims of the urban elite. I don't care about the "national" vote totals. I care about how Virginians vote. The number of voters in California or New York easily overwhelm smaller states. The Electoral College was designed the way it is for a purpose. This is just another attempt at consolidation of power by the Left.

The national popular vote (NPV) idea is nothing more than a dilution of Virginia’s voting power and cedes the same to more populated states. It’s wrong. We are a constitutional republic. Those wanting to do away with the electoral college shouldn’t attempt to flout the constitution as this NPV scheme does, they should argue instead for a constitutional amendment that they know would never be adopted. Framers were against mob rule. Virginia would lose its unique voice with NPV. The Electoral College turns swing states into microcosms of America, where candidates are forced to go beyond the big cities and reach out to all kinds of people. NPV would allow a candidate to win without any sort of majority, encouraging more candidates to run and thus ensuring that future Presidents get elected with smaller and smaller pluralities. NPV leaves the Electoral College structure in place but eliminates its effects thus doing away with its benefits. This would lead to uncertainty, instability, and a constitutional crisis. The American Founders considered and rejected a national popular vote because it would lack checks and balances to protect minority rights and limit corruption.

Good afternoon, I believe that switching our election results to popular vote alienates ALL states other than New York and California. The electoral college prevents our presidential elections from being decided by the most populated cities in our country. Please do NOT switch to popular vote. Thank you for your time.

Against: "By Popular Vote" would destry representation for rural VA. Norther VA is a socialist vote farm for Democrats. We already struggle with representation. Please don't do this...

Our Founding Fathers knew what they were doing and the Electoral Collage makes every state important. Popular vote would concentrate on large cities and the rest of the smaller cities and states would be ignored since so many votes are concentrated in large cities. Every state, city, town, county no matter the population should count and be just as important as large cities. The Electoral Collage levels the playing field and does not nullify any one area of the America because every citizens' vote would count.

Comments Document

My testimony is intended to highlight the numerous technical defects in NPV that will lead to, in the words of one of the law professors who initially developed the concept of NPV, "electoral crises" and "historic debacle."

Oppose this bill! The Electoral College was put in place for a very good reason, and while it may seem imperfect the alternative turns power over to the large metropolitan areas.

I agree the Electoral College has its problems, but I firmly believe that electing our President by popular vote would be a horrendous idea. The Electoral College preserves the principles of federalism that are essential to our constitutional republic. The U.S. is a large country made up of people from very different regions and cultures, and federalism is an important way of preserving the differences that make us unique while uniting us behind one common federal government. Since the country is comprised of 50 states coming together to form the federal government, it is important that the system to elect the President fairly represent them. By allocating electoral votes by the total number of representatives in a given state, the Electoral College allows more states to have an impact on the choice of the President. The Electoral College prevents presidential candidates from winning an election by focusing solely on high-population urban centers and dense media markets, forcing them to seek the support of a larger cross-section of the American electorate. This addresses the Founders’ fears of a “tyranny of the majority,” which has the potential to marginalize sizeable portions of the population, particularly in rural and more remote areas of the country. Large cities like New York City and Los Angeles should not get to unilaterally dictate policies that affect more rural states, like North Dakota and Indiana, which have very different needs. These states may be smaller, but their values still matter—they should have a say in who becomes President. By forcing presidential candidates to address all Americans during their campaigns, not just those in large cities, the Electoral College has the added benefit of eschewing radical candidates for more moderate ones.

Oppose HB375; Virginia must NOT automatically cast our presidential electoral college votes for whoever voters of OTHER states decide. Virginia votes must be decided each election by VIRGINIA voters. If HB375 becomes effective, over 80% of Virginians voting for "A" will be meaningless if Virginian electoral votes go to "C" because of so many voters elsewhere. STOP this bill of goal to devote Virginia's votes to whoever others decide.

Dear Delegates and Privileges and Elections Committee Members, HB56 and HB1439 are scheduled today at 4:00pm to be heard in committee with public testimony. These bills would force Virginians to register with a party in order to vote in the primary and put the power to decide who can and can’t vote in the primaries in the hands of political party leaders. WHY THAT’S BAD FOR VIRGINIA: Every voter would have to re-register and declare a party affiliation. For the first time ever, the state of Virginia would require you to label yourself politically and publicly and maintain that record with the state. That’s a gross invasion of voter privacy. The state of Virginia would have to spend millions of dollars to re-register voters, retrain election workers and revamp election administration on an ongoing basis and Virginia taxpayers would foot the bill. It would allow political party leaders to deny anyone who chooses to register as an independent the right to vote in the primary. Independent-minded voters would be forced to wait until the often meaningless general election. It would greatly diminish the freedom of all Virginians to decide, election by election, whether to vote in a Democratic or Republican primary based on the issues and candidates presented to them. Closed primaries restrict choice for all Virginians. Respectfully, Dale Farrand

UpVote Virginia supports this legislation. The ability of voters and the organizations designed to protect them to bring legal action when the rights of those voters are abridged is crucial. The Voting Rights Act is only as effective as our ability to enforce it. This bill answers a true need - this is a right that is under threat from recent federal court rulings, which would gut the VRA and leave millions of voters open to unchecked violations of their rights.

Good afternoon. Thank you for allowing me to provide my input. I believe HB 56, 90, and 1439 would restrict participation by independent voters in the political election system. The aforementioned bills would force citizens to align themselves with a particular party in order to participate in the election of their representatives. This creates a barrier for the exchange of ideas and positions amongst independent voter and literally forces people to choose a camp. These type of thinking reduces variables for politicians trying to coalesce and quantify their support, but poisons civics, creating a negative polarizing effect on the constituency.

Dear Delegates and Privileges and Elections Committee Members, HB56 and HB1439 are scheduled today at 4:00pm to be heard in committee with public testimony. These bills would force Virginians to register with a party in order to vote in the primary and put the power to decide who can and can’t vote in the primaries in the hands of political party leaders. WHY THAT’S BAD FOR VIRGINIA: Every voter would have to re-register and declare a party affiliation. For the first time ever, the state of Virginia would require you to label yourself politically and publicly and maintain that record with the state. That’s a gross invasion of voter privacy. The state of Virginia would have to spend millions of dollars to re-register voters, retrain election workers and revamp election administration on an ongoing basis and Virginia taxpayers would foot the bill. It would allow political party leaders to deny anyone who chooses to register as an independent the right to vote in the primary. Independent-minded voters would be forced to wait until the often meaningless general election. It would greatly diminish the freedom of all Virginians to decide, election by election, whether to vote in a Democratic or Republican primary based on the issues and candidates presented to them. Closed primaries restrict choice for all Virginians. Respectfully, Dale Farrand

I’m an Independent voter, and I oppose HB 1439 (and HB56, which appears to be identical) because its premise is that political parties rightfully own and control primary elections – which I do not accept. It is a step backwards from a system that requires merely choosing a ballot to one that could require party membership to exercise our right to vote. This is no small step, because the outcomes of many races are effectively determined in the primary, and while current law limits participation of all voters equally, this change grants political parties the power to exclude and thus disenfranchise all non-members. HB 1439 and HB 56 are just the latest attempt here in Virginia to exclude Independent voters. During the 2021 Assembly, I testified against HB 2278, which also sought to require registration by party, and for the same purpose. Fortunately, this committee killed it. Partisan legislation like this demonstrates a tone deafness to voter sentiment that feeds the growing movement toward political independence. Polling indicates that the percentage of voters in the U.S. who identify themselves as Independents exceeds those identifying with either major party. Excluding us is not just wrong because it violates the principle of democratic participation. It means that policies are more likely to represent the interests of an increasingly unrepresentative group of Virginians. A better option would be a nonpartisan primary that places all candidates on one ballot. This reform is endorsed by the Forward Party because it expands voter participation, reduces polarization, increases accountability, lowers costs, and improves representation. Our party also endorses use of ranked-choice voting to select candidates in a primary or general election, because it promotes majority support, reduces strategic voting, encourages positive campaigning, and saves money. I encourage this committee to vote NO on HB 1439 and HB 56 and consider, for the 2025 session, reforms that look forward instead of backward.

I’m an Independent voter, and I oppose HB 56 because its premise is that political parties rightfully own and control primary elections – which I do not accept. It is a step backwards from a system that requires merely choosing a ballot to one that could require party membership to exercise our right to vote. This is no small step, because the outcomes of many races are effectively determined in the primary, and while current law limits participation of all voters equally, this change grants political parties the power to exclude and thus disenfranchise all non-members. HB 56 is just the latest attempt here in Virginia to exclude Independent voters. During the 2021 Assembly, I testified against HB 2278, which also sought to require registration by party, and for the same purpose. Fortunately, this committee killed it. Partisan legislation like this demonstrates a tone deafness to voter sentiment that feeds the growing movement toward political independence. Polling indicates that the percentage of voters in the U.S. who identify themselves as Independents exceeds those identifying with either major party. Excluding us is not just wrong because it violates the principle of democratic participation. It means that policies are more likely to represent the interests of an increasingly unrepresentative group of Virginians. A better option would be a nonpartisan primary that places all candidates on one ballot. This reform is endorsed by the Forward Party because it expands voter participation, reduces polarization, increases accountability, lowers costs, and improves representation. Our party also endorses use of ranked-choice voting to select candidates in a primary or general election, because it promotes majority support, reduces strategic voting, encourages positive campaigning, and saves money. I encourage this committee to vote NO on HB 56 and consider, for the 2025 session, reforms that look forward instead of backward.

I’m an Independent voter, and I oppose HB 56 because its premise is that political parties rightfully own and control primary elections – which I do not accept. It is a step backwards from a system that requires merely choosing a ballot to one that could require party membership to exercise our right to vote. This is no small step, because the outcomes of many races are effectively determined in the primary, and while current law limits participation of all voters equally, this change grants political parties the power to exclude and thus disenfranchise all non-members. HB 56 is just the latest attempt here in Virginia to exclude Independent voters. During the 2021 Assembly, I testified against HB 2278, which also sought to require registration by party, and for the same purpose. Fortunately, this committee killed it. Partisan legislation like this demonstrates a tone deafness to voter sentiment that feeds the growing movement toward political independence. Polling indicates that the percentage of voters in the U.S. who identify themselves as Independents exceeds those identifying with either major party. Excluding us is not just wrong because it violates the principle of democratic participation. It means that policies are more likely to represent the interests of an increasingly unrepresentative group of Virginians. A better option would be a nonpartisan primary that places all candidates on one ballot. This reform is endorsed by the Forward Party because it expands voter participation, reduces polarization, increases accountability, lowers costs, and improves representation. Our party also endorses use of ranked-choice voting to select candidates in a primary or general election, because it promotes majority support, reduces strategic voting, encourages positive campaigning, and saves money. I encourage this committee to vote NO on HB 56 and consider, for the 2025 session, reforms that look forward instead of backward.

Comments Document

See attached statement.

My name is John LoGalbo, and I am the Chair of Voter Protection for the Loudoun County Democratic Committee. This statement is made on my own behalf and does not reflect a position of the LCDC or the Voter Protection Committee. I fully support Delegate Reaser's bill to vest local governing bodies with the responsibility to set the dates and hours of operation of satellite offices for early voting - or what is referred to in the Code as "absentee voting in person." It's fairly clear what may have prompted Delegate Reaser's proposal: the recent decision of the Loudoun County Electoral Board to completely eliminate two weeks of weekday voting in two satellite locations in the eastern portion of the County. The Electoral Board has since partially reversed its decision, after pointed and harsh criticism from members of the community and from a majority of members of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors. As a practical matter, the satellite office in western Loudoun had more limited availability than the two satellite offices in eastern Loudoun. The Electoral Board claims that its original decision was not based on partisan politics, but rather on the "principle" that each of the three satellite offices for early voting in the County should have dates and hours of operation that are equivalent. This "principle" flies in the face of the fact that there are many more thousands of voters in eastern Loudoun than in western Loudoun. It is no coincidence that eastern Loudoun is a very heavily Democratic area, while western Loudoun is heavily Republican. Despite their protests to the contrary, it seems obvious that the two Republican members of the Electoral Board's decision to "equalize" the voting dates and times in all three satellite locations was intended to reduce the availability of early voting times in the Democratic area of the County. Local governing bodies already have the authority under the Virginia Code to determine the location and number of satellite offices for early voting. It is not a radical proposal to vest those bodies with the authority to determine their dates and hours of operation, especially when partisan majorities on local Electoral Boards are liable to disadvantage certain voting districts for political motives. I urge you to support Delegate Reaser's amendment to the Code to accomplish that purpose.

Weekend voting hours are really important for my husband. He is a teacher in a private school and does not have election day off. Because of his teaching schedule, it is often very difficult to make it to the polls in time to vote. I am also usually scheduled to work all day and evening on election day making it difficult to vote on the day of. Because of this, he and I make a plan to vote early and, again, because of our work schedules, weekend voting is often the only time that we are able to attend. I know for many voters in our area, they face the same difficulties. Having a location nearby (in Sterling) that has weekend hours is imperative to provide equal access for voters like us. Please protect equal voting rights by passing this Bill.

Please vote in favor of this bill as 2 people almost disenfranchised thousands of voters in Loudoun County by shutting down one of our early voting locations that typically votes more Democratic than Republican. These two individuals have continually not published agendas within the appropriate time frames and meet on Tuesdays from 1-3 in the middle of the work day for most constituents so most of us cannot show up to speak. This is disenfranchisement on top of disenfranchisement and we need oversight of these two individuals. No one should be trying to decrease voting. Please vote in favor of this bill. Heather Gottlieb

I am commenting in support of HB 1490 which will provide greater support for localities to expand early voting locations if they want more than what the Board of elections has designated. This is critically important in my county, where our recent board of elections attempted to severely restrict early voting access to Eastern parts of the county, where there is significant density of voters. Voting access is of critical importance to ensure voting equity in localities and I support this effort to increase access.