Accountability Needed in Virginia’s Election Issues – The Virginian-Pilot

Virginia’s election process has never been more accessible to voters, thanks to the efforts of the Democrats in 2020. Turnout for the November election set midterm record highs thanks to easier access for activists at voting booths. With our efforts, Virginia ranked from He 49th to Hers 11th in the ranking of states with access to votes. We have worked hard to ensure that everyone who wants to have a voice in our elections not only has the right to do so, but the ability and access to do so. rice field.

But even here in Virginia, our democracy is under attack. We went through a lot trying to put one foot in front of the other. Together, we have overcome all odds. And now, once again, so many are under attack without accountability to protect what they have died to protect. Republicans like Governor Glenn Youngkin and Attorney General Jason Myares do not share our excitement about making it easier for everyone to vote. We are doing everything we can to put up deliberate barriers to voting in the hope that it will make it harder than ever and help us cling to power.

In the run-up to Election Day, delays in the voter registration process left over 250,000 voter registration applications dumped at local registrars for processing with little time left before Election Day. Election Day went so smoothly thanks to the local registrars and their staff working overtime. Despite her department’s gross misdeeds, Election Commissioner Susan Beals is a bipartisan who once denied elections and worked for rebel Senator Amanda Chase. Trying to blame the Democrats for their failure to make voting more accessible to everyone, not her failure to make the Office of Elections a success.

In addition to problems processing voter registration applications, the Office of Elections mailed incorrect information about voting to more than 30,000 voters. It’s unclear how many voters were disenfranchised because of this mistake, but the number is not zero. This kind of incompetence that prevents voters from hearing their voices in our elections is unacceptable. Together, we must hold election officials accountable for their mistakes and ensure that other voters are not held back from voting by misinformation or incompetence.

Finally, Virginia has a new vendor replacing the VERIS system. It takes time and patience to build an electoral system that works for everyone in the Commonwealth, but Beale’s office spent months recklessly signing new contracts, getting the public out of the loop on the new system, and launching it. removed from the timeline. and other details are required. Then, after the final announcement, the deal will include a much longer initial build phase and a longer maintenance period. The public deserves transparency and accountability for their voting system and how elections are conducted in Virginia.

We cannot and will not accept attacks on voting rights. I am asking Jonkin to hold Beerus accountable and promise Virginia voters to get the Office of Elections on track so that every voter who wants to vote in an election can do so. Next year, in addition to local elections, the entire House of Representatives and the Virginia Senate will be put to the ballot, so correct those mistakes and run next year’s elections with confidence that the Elections Office knows what they’re doing. You have to go for the season.

Del. Marcia “Cia” Price It represents Newport News and parts of the Hamptons in the 95 House District.