                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

STATE-DESIGNATED VOTER REGISTRATION AGENCIES (§ 24.2-411.2)

A. The following agencies are designated as voter registration agencies in
compliance with the National Voter Registration Act (52 U.S.C. § 20501 et seq.)
and shall provide voter registration opportunities at their state, regional, or
local offices, depending upon the point of service:

   1. Agencies whose primary function is to provide public assistance, including
   agencies that provide benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy
   Families program; Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and
   Children; Medicaid program; or Food Stamps program;

   2. Agencies whose primary function is to provide state-funded programs
   primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities;

   3. Armed Forces recruitment offices; and

   4. The regional offices of the Department of Wildlife Resources and the
   offices of the Virginia Employment Commission in the Northern Virginia
   Planning District 8.

B. The Commissioner of Elections, with the assistance of the Office of the
Attorney General, shall compile and maintain a list of the specific agencies
covered by subdivisions A 1 and A 2 that, in the legal opinion of the Attorney
General, must be designated to meet the requirements of the National Voter
Registration Act. The Commissioner of Elections shall notify each agency of its
designation and thereafter notify any agency added to or deleted from the list.

C. At each voter registration agency, the following services shall be made
available on the premises of the agency:

   1. Distribution of mail voter registration forms provided by the Department of
   Elections;

   2. Assistance to applicants in completing voter registration application
   forms, unless the applicant refuses assistance; and

   3. Receipt of completed voter registration application forms.

D. A voter registration agency, which provides service or assistance in
conducting voter registration, shall make the following services available on
the premises of the agency:

   1. Distribution with each application for its service or assistance, or upon
   admission to a facility or program, and with each recertification,
   readmission, renewal, or change of address form, of a voter registration
   application prescribed by the Department of Elections that complies with the
   requirements of the National Voter Registration Act (52 U.S.C. &#xA7; 20501 et
   seq.).

   2. Provision, as part of the voter registration process, of a form that
   includes:
   				a. The question: &#8220;If you are not registered to vote where you live
   now, would you like to apply to register to vote here today?&#8221;
   				b. If the agency provides public assistance, the statement:
   &#8220;Applying to register or declining to register to vote will not affect
   the amount of assistance that you will be provided by this agency.&#8221;
   				c. Boxes for the applicant to check to indicate whether the applicant
   would like to register, declines to register to vote, or is already registered
   (failure to check any box being deemed to constitute a declination to register
   for purposes of subdivision 2 a), together with the statement (in close
   proximity to the boxes and in prominent type): &#8220;IF YOU DO NOT CHECK ANY
   BOX, YOU WILL BE CONSIDERED TO HAVE DECIDED NOT TO REGISTER TO VOTE AT THIS
   TIME.&#8221;
   				d. The statement: &#8220;If you would like help in filling out the voter
   registration application form, we will help you. The decision whether to seek
   help or accept help is yours. You may fill out the application form in
   private.&#8221;
   				e. The statement: &#8220;If you believe that someone has interfered with
   your right to register or to decline to register to vote, or your right to
   privacy in deciding whether to register or in applying to register to vote,
   you may file a complaint with the Department of Elections.&#8221; The
   statement shall include the address and telephone number of the Department.
   				f. The following statement accompanying the form which features
   prominently in boldface capital letters: &#8220;WARNING: INTENTIONALLY MAKING
   A MATERIALLY FALSE STATEMENT ON THIS FORM CONSTITUTES THE CRIME OF ELECTION
   FRAUD, WHICH IS PUNISHABLE UNDER VIRGINIA LAW AS A FELONY. VIOLATORS MAY BE
   SENTENCED TO UP TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON, OR UP TO 12 MONTHS IN JAIL AND/OR FINED
   UP TO $2,500.&#8221;

   3. Provision to each applicant who does not decline to register to vote of the
   same degree of assistance with regard to the completion of the voter
   registration application as is provided by the office with regard to the
   completion of its own applications, unless the applicant refuses assistance.

E. If a voter registration agency designated under subsection A of this section
provides services to a person with a disability at the person&#8217;s home, the
agency shall provide the voter registration services as provided for in this
section.

F. A person who provides services at a designated voter registration agency
shall not:

   1. Seek to influence an applicant&#8217;s political preference;

   2. Display any material indicating the person&#8217;s political preference or
   party allegiance;

   3. Make any statement to an applicant or take any action the purpose or effect
   of which is to lead the applicant to believe that a decision to register or
   not to register has any bearing on the availability of services or benefits;
   or

   4. Disclose, except as authorized by law for official use, the social security
   number, or any part thereof, of any applicant for voter registration.
   				Any person who is aggrieved by a violation of this subsection may provide
   written notice of the violation to the Department. The Department shall be
   authorized to cooperate with the agency to resolve the alleged violation.
   Nothing contained in this subsection shall prohibit an aggrieved person from
   filing a complaint in accordance with &#xA7; 24.2-1019 against a person who
   commits any election law offense enumerated in &#xA7;&#xA7; 24.2-1000 through
   24.2-1016.

G. A completed voter registration application shall be transmitted as directed
by the Department not later than five business days after the date of receipt.

H. Each state-designated voter registration agency shall maintain such
statistical records on the number of applications to register to vote as
requested by the Department.

HISTORY: 1996, cc. 72, 73; 2002, c. 747; 2007, c. 318; 2013, c. 542; 2015, c.
740; 2020, c. 958.