NEWS

Virginia Governor Should Make Early Voting Information Accessible

The Virginia Board of Elections Does Not Have a Page to Find Your Early Voting Location. So We Built One. 

RICHMOND, VA, October 2023 – To make early voting information more accessible in Virginia, the Center for Common Ground built a non-partisan website with Democracy Labs for people to find their early voting locations. This tool also helps you check your voter registration status, apply for an absentee ballot, and more. 

“Virginia’s Governor says he wants Virginia to vote early; what he really means is that he wants Republicans to vote early. Through his Secure Your Vote Campaign – a voter portal created by The Republican Party of Virginia – Governor Glenn Youngkin has created a site for people to find their early voting locations.” said Founding Board Member and Executive Director Andrea Miller, “ Why is this information in this format not on the State Board of Elections website? Shouldn’t voters be able to access early voting information on a state website that does not tout the Republican party? Glen Youngkin is supposed to be Governor for everyone in Virginia NOT just Republicans. That is why we stepped in.”  

Currently, the State Board of Elections website only lists the satellite early voting locations of 20 large counties. The Early voting page refers people to the Registrars list which only includes regular office hours not weekend voting hours. For all other information, the website asks people to navigate their state website for information on when and where to vote early but many websites are difficult to navigate and early voting information is not always clearly listed. For example, the Accomack Elections Page does not list the early voting hours. As the Governor of Virginia, Youngkin is responsible for making early voting information accessible to all voters without having to use a website run and funded by the Republican party. Until then, the Center for Common Ground is proud to provide the resources and tools needed to make voting more accessible to all Virginians. 

UPDATE: We would like to clarify that some voters can now find their early voting information through the citizen portal. This was not clear at the time this press release was published. Some counties do not list their times or list the wrong day for the final day or early voting.

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The Center for Common Ground, a non-partisan voting rights organization led by people of color, has been fighting voter suppression and empowering underserved communities since 2018. By helping these communities understand the power of their vote at all levels, the impact of local policies, and where elected officials stand, we aim to help people recognize voter suppression practices and join the battle to end them. 

For more information, visit: www.centerforcommonground.org or email [email protected]