                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

REPRESENTATIVES OF POLITICAL PARTIES AND CANDIDATES TO BE PRESENT ON REQUEST (§
24.2-655)

Before proceeding to ascertain the vote, the officers of election shall
determine whether no more than two representatives of each political party
having candidates in the election and one representative of each independent
candidate or primary candidate request to be present while the absentee ballots
are cast, votes are counted, and returns are completed.
		Each representative shall be a qualified voter of any jurisdiction in the
Commonwealth and shall present to the officers of election a written statement
certifying that he is an authorized representative, signed by his party chairman
for the jurisdiction in which the election is held, the independent candidate,
or the candidate in a primary, as appropriate. If the party chairman for the
jurisdiction in which the election is held 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 party
chairman for the jurisdiction in which the election is held. Such
representatives shall be entitled to be present while the votes are counted and
shall remain until the returns are completed.
		In case such representatives, or any of them, do not request to be present,
the officers shall notify the bystanders, if any, and select one or more to be
present with any available representatives of the parties or candidates so that
there are as many as four bystanders and representatives present.
		The representatives and bystanders lawfully present shall have an unobstructed
view of the officers of election and their actions while the absentee ballots
are cast, votes are counted, and returns are completed. The representatives and
bystanders lawfully present are prohibited from interfering with the officers of
election in any way.

HISTORY: Code 1950, §§ 24-260, 24-261; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-137; 1974, c.
428; 1993, c. 641; 2006, c. 177; 2010, c. 448; 2015, c. 133.