Governor Northam vetoes legislation that unnecessarily interferes with voter registration process

RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam today vetoed House Bill 1144, which would place undue burdens on individuals or groups assisting applicants with voter registrations and could result in the applications of eligible voters being unnecessarily delayed or denied. The Governor’s full veto statement is below.

May 18, 2018

Pursuant to Article V, Section 6, of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto House Bill 1144. This bill would have required a person who assists an applicant with a voter registration application or collects the completed applications to provide his name, telephone number and name of the group or organization with which he is affiliated.

Virginia law already requires the individual or group assisting applicants with voter registrations to provide the applicant a receipt with their name and contact information. Including this individual’s information on the actual voter registration application is unnecessary. If this contact information is missing from the application, it potentially could lead to denied or delayed applications. An eligible voter’s right to vote should not be challenged because the application did not include contact information for the volunteer who assisted them.

This legislation places an unnecessary burden on those facilitating or participating in voter registration drives and could result in denied or delayed voter registration applications for eligible voters.

Accordingly, I veto this bill.

Sincerely,

Ralph S. Northam