                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

VOTING EQUIPMENT CUSTODIANS (§ 24.2-632)

A. 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 &#xA7;&#xA7; 24.2-1009 and 24.2-1010.
			The 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. 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.

HISTORY: Code 1950, §§ 24-296, 24-299; 1970, c. 462, § 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.