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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>74440</law_id><section_number>24.2-604.5</section_number><catch_line>Polling places; presence of additional persons authorized</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="24.2">Elections</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="6">The Election</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions; Polling Places</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> A <span class="dictionary">local electoral board</span> or <span class="dictionary">general registrar</span> may authorize in writing the presence in the <span class="dictionary">polling place</span> of additional neutral observers as may be deemed appropriate, except as otherwise prohibited or limited by the provisions of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Polling places; prohibited activities; prohibited area; penalties" href="/24.2-604/">24.2-604</a>. Such observers shall comply with the restrictions in subsections A and C of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Polling places; prohibited activities; prohibited area; penalties" href="/24.2-604/">24.2-604</a> and shall not be allowed in any case to provide assistance to any voter as permitted under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Assistance for certain voters inside the polling place; penalties" href="/24.2-649/">24.2-649</a> or to wear any indication that they are authorized to assist voters either inside the <span class="dictionary">polling place</span> or within 40 feet of any entrance to the <span class="dictionary">polling place</span>. The officers of <span class="dictionary">election</span> may require any person who is found by a majority of the officers present to be in violation of this subsection to remain outside of the prohibited area. <a id="paragraph-267553" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/24.2-604.5/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The officers of <span class="dictionary">election</span> shall permit representatives of the news media to visit and film or photograph inside the <span class="dictionary">polling place</span> for a reasonable and limited period of time while the polls are open. However, the media (i) shall comply with the restrictions in subsections A and C of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Polling places; prohibited activities; prohibited area; penalties" href="/24.2-604/">24.2-604</a>; (ii) shall not film or photograph any person who specifically asks the media representative at that time that he not be filmed or photographed; (iii) shall not film or photograph the voter or the ballot in such a way that divulges how any individual voter is voting; and (iv) shall not film or photograph the voter list or any other voter record or <span class="dictionary">material</span> at the <span class="dictionary">precinct</span> in such a way that it divulges the name or other information concerning any individual voter. Any interviews with voters, <span class="dictionary">candidates</span>, or other persons; live broadcasts; or taping of reporters&#x2019; remarks shall be conducted outside of the <span class="dictionary">polling place</span> and the prohibited area. The officers of <span class="dictionary">election</span> may require any person who is found by a majority of the officers present to be in violation of this subsection to leave the <span class="dictionary">polling place</span> and the prohibited area. <a id="paragraph-267554" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/24.2-604.5/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2020, c. 561.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
