                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

DUTIES OF OFFICERS OF ELECTION (§ 24.2-639)

The officers of election of each precinct at which voting systems are used shall
meet at the polling place by 5:15 a.m. on the day of the election and arrange
the equipment, furniture, and other materials for the conduct of the election.
The officers of election shall verify that all required equipment, ballots, and
other materials have been delivered to them for the election. The officers shall
post at least two instruction cards for direct recording electronic machines
conspicuously within the polling place.
		The keys to the equipment and any electronic activation devices that are
required for the operation of electronic voting equipment shall be delivered,
prior to the opening of the polls, to the officer of election designated by the
electoral board or general registrar in a sealed envelope on which has been
written or printed the name of the precinct for which it is intended. The
envelope containing the keys and any electronic activation devices shall not be
opened until all of the officers of election for the precinct are present at the
polling place and have examined the envelope to see that it has not been opened.
The equipment shall remain locked against voting until the polls are formally
opened and shall not be operated except by voters in voting.
		Before opening the polls, each officer shall examine the equipment and see
that no vote has been cast and that the counters register zero. The officers
shall conduct their examination in the presence of the following party and
candidate representatives: 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, if such representatives
are available. Each authorized representative shall be a qualified voter of any
jurisdiction of the Commonwealth. Each representative, who is not himself a
candidate or party chairman, shall present to the officers of election a written
statement designating him to be a representative of the party or candidate and
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.
		If any counter, other than a protective or private counter, on a ballot
scanner is found not to register zero, the officers of election shall
immediately notify the general registrar, who shall, if possible, substitute a
machine in good working order, that has been prepared and tested pursuant to §
24.2-634. No ballot scanner shall be used if any counter, other than a
protective or private counter, is found not to register zero.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 24-306; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-216; 1972, c. 620; 1985, c.
458; 1993, c. 641; 1998, c. 264; 2003, c. 1015; 2004, cc. 993, 1010; 2010, c.
448; 2014, cc. 540, 576; 2015, c. 133; 2016, cc. 18, 464, 492.