                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

POLLING PLACES; AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES OF PARTY OR CANDIDATE; PROHIBITED
ACTIVITIES (§ 24.2-604.4)

A. The officers of election shall permit one authorized representative of each
political party or independent candidate in a general or special election, or
one authorized representative of each candidate in a primary election, to remain
in the room in which the election is being conducted at all times. A
representative may serve part of the day and be replaced by successive
representatives. The officers of election shall have discretion to permit up to
three authorized representatives of each political party or independent
candidate in a general or special election, or up to three authorized
representatives of each candidate in a primary election, to remain in the room
in which the election is being conducted. The officers shall permit one such
representative for each pollbook station. However, no more than one such
representative for each pollbook station or three representatives of any
political party or independent candidate, whichever number is larger, shall be
permitted in the room at any one time.

B. Each authorized representative shall be a qualified voter of any jurisdiction
of the Commonwealth. No candidate whose name is printed on the ballot shall
serve as a representative of a party or candidate for purposes of this section.
			Each representative shall present to the officers of election a written
statement designating him to be a representative of the party or candidate that
is signed by the county or city chairman of his political party, the independent
candidate, or the primary candidate, as appropriate. If the county or city
chairman is unavailable to sign such a written designation, such a designation
may be made by the state or district chairman of the political party. However,
no written designation made by a state or district chairman shall take
precedence over a written designation made by the county or city chairman. Such
statement, bearing the chairman&#8217;s or candidate&#8217;s original signature,
may be photocopied, and such photocopy shall be as valid as if the copy had been
signed.

C. Authorized representatives shall be allowed, whether in a regular polling
place or central absentee voter precinct, to be close enough to the voter
check-in table to be able to hear and see what is occurring; however, such
observation shall not violate the secret vote provision of Article II, Section 3
of the Constitution of Virginia or otherwise interfere with the orderly process
of the election. Any representative who complains to the chief officer of
election that he is unable to hear or see the process may accept the chief
officer&#8217;s decision or, if dissatisfied, he may immediately appeal the
decision to the local electoral board or general registrar.

D. Authorized representatives shall be allowed, whether in a regular polling
place or central absentee voter precinct, to use a handheld wireless
communications device but shall not be allowed to use such a device to capture a
digital image inside the polling place or central absentee voter precinct. The
officers of election may prohibit the use of cellular telephones or other
handheld wireless communications devices if such use will result in a violation
of subsection A or C of &#xA7; 24.2-604 or &#xA7; 24.2-607.

E. Authorized representatives shall not be allowed in any case to provide
assistance to any voter as permitted under &#xA7; 24.2-649 or to wear any
indication that they are authorized to assist voters either inside the polling
place or within 40 feet of any entrance to the polling place.

F. The officers of election may require any person who is found by a majority of
the officers present to be in violation of this section to remain outside of the
prohibited area.

HISTORY: 2020, c. 561.