Welcome to the Virginia Department of Elections

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About Us

image of sign at polling placeMission

The Department of Elections promotes and supports accurate, fair, open and secure elections for the citizens of the Commonwealth.

Vision

The Department of Elections envisions a highly modern, efficient and professional electoral process that is trustworthy and accountable at all levels and engages Virginia’s diverse citizenry in the most fundamental right in a democratic society: the right to vote.

State Board of Elections

The State Board of Elections is the regulatory board for the Department of Elections. It is authorized to prescribe standard forms for voter registration and elections, and to supervise, coordinate, and adopt regulations governing the work of local electoral boards, registrars, and officers of election.

John O’Bannon, Vice Chair of the Board
John O’Bannon
Chairman of the Board
More information >>>		 Rosalyn R Dance, Vice Chairman of the Board
Rosalyn R Dance
Vice-Chairman of the Board
More Information >>>
Georgia Alvis-Long, Secretary of the Board of Elections
Georgia Alvis-Long
Secretary of the Board
More information >>>		 Donald W. Merricks, State Board of Elections member
Donald W. Merricks
Board Member
More information >>>

Matthew Weinstein
Board Member
More information >>>		  

State Board of Elections Meeting Information

Board Meeting Information for Virginia State Board of Elections including meeting dates, agendas, and working papers, can be found on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall website.

Agency Guidance

History

The Virginia State Board of Elections (SBE) was created in 1946 as a nonpolitical agency responsible for ensuring uniformity, fairness, and accuracy in all elections in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The SBE promoted the proper administration of election laws, campaign finance disclosure compliance, and voter registration processes in the state by promulgating rules, regulations, issuing instructions, and providing information to local electoral boards and general registrars.

In 2014, the Department of Elections (ELECT) was formed. ELECT conducts the State Board of Elections' administrative and programmatic operations and discharges the board's duties consistent with delegated authority. ELECT is authorized to establish and maintain a statewide automated voter registration system to include procedures for ascertaining current addresses of registrants; to require cancellation of records for registrants no longer qualified; to provide electronic application for voter registration and absentee ballots; and to provide electronic delivery of absentee ballots to eligible military and overseas voters. ELECT is made up of three business units that work with a regulatory board.

Awards

  • 2021 Telly Award (2)
  • 2021 Founders Award from the Virginia Alliance for Secure Computing & Networking
  • 2019 Governor's Technology Award
  • 2019 ClearMark Award
  • 2017 Governor's Technology Award
  • 2014 Community Connection Award
  • 2014 Shining Star Award
  • 2013 Governor's Technology Award
  • 2012 Governor's Technology Award
  • 2012 Shining Star Award
  • 2009 Governor's Technology Award