Gov. Northam makes Election Day a state holiday and expands early voting
RICHMOND, Va. (WSET) -- Virginia has expanded access to voting.
Governor Ralph Northam announced on Sunday, April 12, 2020, that he has signed bills into laws repealing Virginia's voter ID law, makes Election Day a statewide holiday and expands access to early voting.
“Voting is a fundamental right, and these new laws strengthen our democracy by making it easier to cast a ballot, not harder,” said Governor Northam. “No matter who you are or where you live in Virginia, your voice deserves to be heard. I’m proud to sign these bills into law.”
Northam signed these bills:
- House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 111, sponsored by House Majority Leader Charniele Herring and Senator Janet Howell, respectively, allow early voting 45 days prior to an election without a stated excuse. Virginia currently requires voters who wish to vote absentee to provide the state with a reason, from an approved list, why they are unable to vote on Election Day.
- House Bill 19 and Senate Bill 65, sponsored by Delegate Joe Lindsey and Senator Mamie Locke, respectively, remove the requirement that voters show a photo ID prior to casting a ballot. Voter ID laws disenfranchise individuals who may not have access to photo identification and disproportionately impact low-income individuals, racial and ethnic minorities, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities.
- House Bill 108 and Senate Bill 601, sponsored by Delegate Joe Lindsey and Senator Louise Lucas, respectively, make Election Day a state holiday, which will help ensure every Virginian has the time and opportunity to cast their ballot. In order to maintain the same number of state holidays, this measure repeals the current Lee-Jackson Day holiday, established over 100 years ago to honor Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.
- House Bill 235 and Senate Bill 219, sponsored by Delegate Joshua Cole and Senator David Marsden, respectively, implement automatic voter registration for individuals accessing service at a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office or the DMV website.
- House Bill 238 and House Bill 239, sponsored by Delegate Mark Sickles, and Senate Bill 455, sponsored by Senator Bryce Reeves, expand absentee voting timelines to ensure access to the polls.
- House Bill 1678, sponsored by Delegate Joe Lindsey, extends in-person polling hours from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
We need more access to the ballot box, not less,” said Senator Louise Lucas. “I am so proud to be a part of new laws that expand access to voting and make our Commonwealth more representative of the people we serve. Today is a historic day.”
House Majority Leader Charniele Herring said that democracy relies on access to the ballot.
“Our democracy relies on equal access to the ballot box,” said Herring. “I’m grateful to the Governor for his partnership in breaking down barriers to voting, and ensuring all Virginians have the opportunity to exercise this fundamental right.”
“Virginia’s photo ID law was designed to make it more difficult to vote,” added Delegate Joe Lindsey. “It is past time we repealed this law, and I’m grateful to the Governor for helping us get it done.”
Northam has also signed other bills into law on Sunday, April 12, 2020, including an extensive criminal justice reform package that raises the felony larceny threshold; permanently eliminating driver’s license suspensions for unpaid fines, fees, and court costs; raises the age of juvenile transfer to adult court, and reforms parole.
On Saturday, Northam signed the Virginia Values Act that protects the LGBTQ community against discrimination in housing, employment, public spaces, and credit applications.
He also signed bills that repeal racist and discriminatory language from Virginia’s Acts of Assembly, give localities the ability to remove or alter Confederate monuments in their communities and begin the process of replacing Virginia’s statue of Confederal General Robert E. Lee in the United States Capitol.
