Virginia Governor Orders Measures to Tighten Election Security

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order on Aug. 7 to implement security measures ahead of the November election.

These measures include using paper ballots; tracking possession of ballots during early voting; matching the number of ballots cast with the number of voters who have checked in and the number of ballots sent to voters; and requiring absentee ballots to be requested before being mailed to voters, in addition to not accepting them back unless the voter provides the last four digits of his or her Social Security number and birth year.

Virginia uses paper ballot counting machines that are not connected to the internet. These machines are tested before elections.

Youngkin also directed the state to update its voter rolls. This includes adding and removing, respectively, those who are and are not allowed to vote in the state; removing those unable to prove their residency in the commonwealth; removing the names of deceased voters from the voter rolls; and ensuring noncitizens are ineligible to cast a ballot.

According to the executive order, almost 80,000 deceased voters have been removed from the voter rolls.

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In the executive order, Youngkin instructed the Department of Motor Vehicles to “expedite the interagency data sharing with the Department of Elections of noncitizens by generating a daily file of all noncitizens transactions, including addresses and document numbers.”

The Department of Elections compares a list of noncitizens with those registered to vote. Those who are on both lists get removed from voter rolls. If someone is erroneously removed, they have 14 days to prove their eligibility to cast a ballot.

Additionally, Virginia has cameras monitoring drop box locations 24/7.

“This isn’t a Democrat or Republican issue, it’s an American and Virginian issue. Every legal vote deserves to be counted without being watered down by illegal votes or inaccurate machines. In Virginia, we don’t play games and our model for election security is working,” said Youngkin.

While Youngkin and the GOP flipped the gubernatorial mansion and the House of Delegates in November 2021, Democrats have controlled both houses of the state Legislature since earlier this year.

The last time a GOP presidential candidate won Virginia was in 2004 when former President George W. Bush won reelection.

In addition to the presidential race, other major races in Virginia in November include the Senate race between incumbent Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Republican Hung Cao; and key House races in the state’s Second, Seventh, and 10th Congressional Districts.

The next Virginia gubernatorial election will be held in November 2025. Youngkin is ineligible to run for a second consecutive term in accordance with the state’s constitution. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), who is not running for reelection, is seen as the early frontrunner for the governor’s mansion.