A new proposed Virginia state law is set to reduce the potential for disenfranchisement among marginalized groups of voters. The new law was pushed forward by two lawmakers working alongside the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and other pro equal opportunity advocacy groups.
The law was passed by the state General Assembly, now just waiting for Governor Northam’s sign-off. The law would effectively require local election officials to need permission from voters and/or the state attorney general before instituting any policy changes. Voters would then be able to sue their election offices should a policy change be deemed to target specific groups of people based on race or ethnicity.
The law split the state assembly in half, with most Republicans concerned over the possible consequence that election tampering will be treated as the mainstay and election officials will be forced to deal with constant legal battles. “Consider if every locality, for every decision they made, was subject to some kind of litigation and somebody trying to impugn the integrity of their decision-making,” said Republican State Sen. Jill Vogel in an interview, “It is a full employment act for lawyers.” In addition, there were fears of individuals taking advantage of this system, to potentially hand out harsh punishments for unintentional mistakes.
After the last election cycle, the question of how to check election officials’ integrity has been shifted into the spotlight, but for some, the new law serves only to enable those fears, rather than to concretely solve anything.
From the perspective of those in favor of the law, however, the exact reality remains to be seen. In the review process proposed under the new law, one aspect that is to be taken into consideration is voting locations. In some towns, complaints have arisen over the difficult, out-of-the-way positioning of polling places, and many have cited these occurrences as being intentionally, maliciously done to limit who can have an easier time voting.
The goal for most voters and lawmakers is the same, and that is to ensure an election process where all individuals are able to participate equally. The argument comes down on how exactly to get there. Only time will tell whether the new law’s legacy will prove to be an egalitarian gift, or a legal nightmare.