{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/24.2-632.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/24.2-632.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/24.2-632.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/24.2-632.html"}],"law_id":63370,"edition_id":1,"section_id":63370,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-632","catch_line":"Voting equipment custodians","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 24-296, 24-299; 1970, c. 462, \u00a7 24.1-209; 1973, c. 30; 1974, c. 428; 1981, c. 570; 1985, c. 458; 1993, c. 641; 1999, c. 219; 2004, cc. 993, 1010; 2016, cc. 18, 492; 2022, c. 140.","full_text":"A\n\nFor the purpose of programming and preparing voting and counting equipment, including the programming of any electronic activation devices or data storage media used to program or operate the equipment, and maintaining, testing, calibrating, and delivering it, the electoral board and general registrar shall employ one or more persons, to be known as custodians of voting equipment. The custodians shall be fully competent, thoroughly instructed, and sworn to perform their duties honestly and faithfully, and for such purpose shall be appointed and instructed at least 30 days before each election. With the approval of the State Board, the electoral board or general registrar may contract with the voting equipment vendor or another contractor for the purpose of programming, preparing and maintaining the voting equipment. The voting equipment custodians shall instruct and supervise the vendor or contractor technicians and oversee the programming, testing, calibrating and delivering of the equipment. The vendor or contractor technicians shall be sworn to perform their duties honestly and faithfully and be informed of and subject to the misdemeanor and felony penalties provided in §§ 24.2-1009 and 24.2-1010.\n\t\t\tThe final testing of the equipment prior to each election shall be done in the presence of an electoral board member, a representative of the electoral board, or the general registrar. The electoral board or general registrar may authorize a representative to be present at the final testing only if it is impracticable for a board member or general registrar to attend, and such representative shall in no case be the custodian or a vendor or contractor technician who was responsible for programming the ballot software, electronic activation devices, or electronic data storage media.B\n\nNotwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, the local electoral board or general registrar may assign a board member or a deputy registrar to serve as a custodian without pay for such service. The board member or deputy registrar serving as custodian shall be fully competent, thoroughly instructed, and sworn to perform his duties honestly and faithfully, and for such purpose shall be appointed and instructed at least 30 days before each election. Whenever the presence of an electoral board member or general registrar and custodian is required by the provisions of this title, the same person shall not serve in both capacities.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":230915,"text":"For the purpose of programming and preparing voting and counting equipment, including the programming of any electronic activation devices or data storage media used to program or operate the equipment, and maintaining, testing, calibrating, and delivering it, the electoral board and general registrar shall employ one or more persons, to be known as custodians of voting equipment. The custodians shall be fully competent, thoroughly instructed, and sworn to perform their duties honestly and faithfully, and for such purpose shall be appointed and instructed at least 30 days before each election. With the approval of the State Board, the electoral board or general registrar may contract with the voting equipment vendor or another contractor for the purpose of programming, preparing and maintaining the voting equipment. The voting equipment custodians shall instruct and supervise the vendor or contractor technicians and oversee the programming, testing, calibrating and delivering of the equipment. The vendor or contractor technicians shall be sworn to perform their duties honestly and faithfully and be informed of and subject to the misdemeanor and felony penalties provided in §§ 24.2-1009 and 24.2-1010.\n\t\t\tThe final testing of the equipment prior to each election shall be done in the presence of an electoral board member, a representative of the electoral board, or the general registrar. The electoral board or general registrar may authorize a representative to be present at the final testing only if it is impracticable for a board member or general registrar to attend, and such representative shall in no case be the custodian or a vendor or contractor technician who was responsible for programming the ballot software, electronic activation devices, or electronic data storage media.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":230916,"text":"Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, the local electoral board or general registrar may assign a board member or a deputy registrar to serve as a custodian without pay for such service. The board member or deputy registrar serving as custodian shall be fully competent, thoroughly instructed, and sworn to perform his duties honestly and faithfully, and for such purpose shall be appointed and instructed at least 30 days before each election. Whenever the presence of an electoral board member or general registrar and custodian is required by the provisions of this title, the same person shall not serve in both capacities.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14748,"edition_id":1,"name":"Voting Equipment and Systems","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13022,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:49:42","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:49:42","permalink":{"id":188537,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14748,"identifier":"3","token":"24.2\/6\/3","url":"\/24.2\/6\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13022,"edition_id":1,"name":"The Election","identifier":"6","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12937,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:09","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:09","permalink":{"id":188395,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13022,"identifier":"6","token":"24.2\/6","url":"\/24.2\/6\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12937,"edition_id":1,"name":"Elections","identifier":"24.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:03","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:03","permalink":{"id":187149,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12937,"identifier":"24.2","token":"24.2","url":"\/24.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":81594,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-625","catch_line":"Application of Title 24.2 and general law","url":"\/24.2-625\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-625","metadata":false},{"id":64556,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-625.1","catch_line":"Voting equipment security","url":"\/24.2-625.1\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-625.1","metadata":false},{"id":75404,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-625.2","catch_line":"Wireless communications at polling places","url":"\/24.2-625.2\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-625.2","metadata":false},{"id":56486,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-626","catch_line":"Governing bodies shall acquire electronic voting systems","url":"\/24.2-626\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-626","metadata":false},{"id":75102,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-626.1","catch_line":"Acquisition and use of accessible voting devices","url":"\/24.2-626.1\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-626.1","metadata":false},{"id":71016,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-627","catch_line":"Electronic voting systems; number required","url":"\/24.2-627\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-627","metadata":false},{"id":69036,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-628","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/24.2-628\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-628","metadata":false},{"id":83263,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-629","catch_line":"State Board approval process of electronic voting systems","url":"\/24.2-629\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-629","metadata":false},{"id":85534,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-630","catch_line":"Experimental use of approved systems","url":"\/24.2-630\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-630","metadata":false},{"id":69604,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-631","catch_line":"Experimental use of voting systems and ballots prior to approval of the system","url":"\/24.2-631\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-631","metadata":false},{"id":63370,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-632","catch_line":"Voting equipment custodians","url":"\/24.2-632\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-632","metadata":false},{"id":67570,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-633","catch_line":"Notice of final testing of voting system; sealing equipment","url":"\/24.2-633\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-633","metadata":false},{"id":70313,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-634","catch_line":"Locking and securing after preparation","url":"\/24.2-634\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-634","metadata":false},{"id":65283,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-635","catch_line":"Demonstration of equipment","url":"\/24.2-635\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-635","metadata":false},{"id":82884,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-636","catch_line":"Instruction as to use of equipment","url":"\/24.2-636\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-636","metadata":false},{"id":59705,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-637","catch_line":"Furniture and equipment to be at polling places","url":"\/24.2-637\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-637","metadata":false},{"id":60602,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-638","catch_line":"Voting equipment to be in plain view; officers and others not permitted to see actual voting; unlocking counter compartment of equipment, etc","url":"\/24.2-638\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-638","metadata":false},{"id":56688,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-639","catch_line":"Duties of officers of election","url":"\/24.2-639\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-639","metadata":false},{"id":69224,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-640","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/24.2-640\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-640","metadata":false},{"id":82022,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-641","catch_line":"Sample ballot","url":"\/24.2-641\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-641","metadata":false},{"id":80339,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-642","catch_line":"Inoperative equipment","url":"\/24.2-642\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-642","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":69604,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-631","catch_line":"Experimental use of voting systems and ballots prior to approval of the system","url":"\/24.2-631\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-631","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":67570,"structure_id":14748,"section_number":"24.2-633","catch_line":"Notice of final testing of voting system; sealing equipment","url":"\/24.2-633\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-633","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/24.2-632\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 10 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1970, chapter 462; in 1973, chapter 30; in 1974, chapter 428; in 1981, chapter 570; in 1985, chapter 458; in 1993, chapter 641; in 1999, chapter 219<\/a>; in 2004, chapters 993<\/a> and 1010<\/a>; in 2016, chapters 18<\/a> and 492<\/a>; in 2022, chapter 140<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":86321,"section_number":"24.2-1009","catch_line":"Stealing or tampering with ballot containers, voting or registration equipment, software, records or documents","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-1009\/"},{"id":76431,"section_number":"24.2-1010","catch_line":"Unauthorized possession or duplication of voting equipment key or electronic activation device","order_by":null,"url":"\/24.2-1010\/"}],"permalink":{"id":188579,"object_type":"law","relational_id":63370,"identifier":"24.2-632","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-632","url":"\/24.2-632\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/24.2-632\/","token":"24.2\/6\/3\/24.2-632","dublin_core":{"Title":"Voting equipment custodians","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 24.2-632","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> For the purpose of programming and preparing voting and counting equipment, including the programming of any electronic activation devices or data storage media used to program or operate the equipment, and maintaining, testing, calibrating, and delivering it, the electoral board<\/span> and general registrar<\/span> shall employ one or more persons, to be known as custodians of voting equipment. The custodians shall be fully competent, thoroughly instructed, and sworn to perform their duties honestly and faithfully, and for such purpose shall be appointed and instructed at least 30 days before each election<\/span>. With the approval of the State Board<\/span>, the electoral board<\/span> or general registrar<\/span> may contract<\/span> with the voting equipment vendor or another contractor for the purpose of programming, preparing and maintaining the voting equipment. The voting equipment custodians shall instruct and supervise the vendor or contractor technicians and oversee the programming, testing, calibrating and delivering of the equipment. The vendor or contractor technicians shall be sworn to perform their duties honestly and faithfully and be informed of and subject to the misdemeanor<\/span> and felony<\/span> penalties provided in §§ 24.2-1009<\/a> and 24.2-1010<\/a>.\n\t\t\tThe final testing of the equipment prior to each election<\/span> shall be done in the presence of an electoral board<\/span> member, a representative of the electoral board<\/span>, or the general registrar<\/span>. The electoral board<\/span> or general registrar<\/span> may authorize a representative to be present at the final testing only if it is impracticable for a board member or general registrar<\/span> to attend, and such representative shall in no case be the custodian or a vendor or contractor technician who was responsible for programming the ballot software, electronic activation devices, or electronic data storage media. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, the local electoral board<\/span> or general registrar<\/span> may assign a board member or a deputy registrar to serve as a custodian without pay for such service. The board member or deputy registrar serving as custodian shall be fully competent, thoroughly instructed, and sworn to perform his duties honestly and faithfully, and for such purpose shall be appointed and instructed at least 30 days before each election<\/span>. Whenever the presence of an electoral board member or general registrar<\/span> and custodian is required by the provisions of this title, the same person shall not serve in both capacities. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nVOTING EQUIPMENT CUSTODIANS (\u00a7 24.2-632)\n\nA. For the purpose of programming and preparing voting and counting equipment,\nincluding the programming of any electronic activation devices or data storage\nmedia used to program or operate the equipment, and maintaining, testing,\ncalibrating, and delivering it, the electoral board and general registrar shall\nemploy one or more persons, to be known as custodians of voting equipment. The\ncustodians shall be fully competent, thoroughly instructed, and sworn to perform\ntheir duties honestly and faithfully, and for such purpose shall be appointed\nand instructed at least 30 days before each election. With the approval of the\nState Board, the electoral board or general registrar may contract with the\nvoting equipment vendor or another contractor for the purpose of programming,\npreparing and maintaining the voting equipment. The voting equipment custodians\nshall instruct and supervise the vendor or contractor technicians and oversee\nthe programming, testing, calibrating and delivering of the equipment. The\nvendor or contractor technicians shall be sworn to perform their duties honestly\nand faithfully and be informed of and subject to the misdemeanor and felony\npenalties provided in §§ 24.2-1009 and 24.2-1010.\n\t\t\tThe final testing of the equipment prior to each election shall be done in\nthe presence of an electoral board member, a representative of the electoral\nboard, or the general registrar. The electoral board or general registrar may\nauthorize a representative to be present at the final testing only if it is\nimpracticable for a board member or general registrar to attend, and such\nrepresentative shall in no case be the custodian or a vendor or contractor\ntechnician who was responsible for programming the ballot software, electronic\nactivation devices, or electronic data storage media.\n\nB. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, the local electoral board or\ngeneral registrar may assign a board member or a deputy registrar to serve as a\ncustodian without pay for such service. The board member or deputy registrar\nserving as custodian shall be fully competent, thoroughly instructed, and sworn\nto perform his duties honestly and faithfully, and for such purpose shall be\nappointed and instructed at least 30 days before each election. Whenever the\npresence of an electoral board member or general registrar and custodian is\nrequired by the provisions of this title, the same person shall not serve in\nboth capacities.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 24-296, 24-299; 1970, c. 462, \u00a7 24.1-209; 1973, c. 30;\n1974, c. 428; 1981, c. 570; 1985, c. 458; 1993, c. 641; 1999, c. 219; 2004, cc.\n993, 1010; 2016, cc. 18, 492; 2022, c. 140.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}