Friday morning, the League of Women Voters of Virginia filed a challenge to the state’s witness signature requirement for absentee ballots. With the increased demand for absentee ballots due to COVID-19, the witness requirement presents a burden for voters’ health and safety.
“The witness signature requirement creates a health risk during the COVID-19 pandemic and threatens to disenfranchise voters who live alone or otherwise do not have access to a witness for their ballot,” said Deb Wake, president of the League of Women Voters of Virginia. “Because African American voters are disproportionately impacted by the virus, the witness requirement presents greater risk to this community’s voting rights.”
Prior to filing litigation, election officials were contacted multiple times asking them to clarify what is expected of voters during COVID-19. Following a lack of response, the League filed this lawsuit against the Virginia State Board of Elections, the Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary of the Virginia State Board of Elections, and the Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Elections in order to resolve the witness requirement question before ballots are cast in the next election.