On Wednesday, Governor Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, representing the Republican Party, implemented a new executive order aimed at fortifying the security of elections. This order mandates annual confirmation by the Commissioner of the Department of Elections to ensure that various election security measures, such as safeguarding ballots, rigorous examination and approval of machines used for counting votes, thorough verification of election outcomes, and the regular updating of voter registration lists, are actively maintained.
Additionally, this executive directive outlines steps to handle instances when non-citizens attempt to register for voting, including their referral to the local prosecuting attorney dedicated to the Commonwealth.
Governor Youngkin emphasized the bipartisan nature of election integrity, stating, “The Virginia model for Election Security works. This isn’t a Democrat or Republican issue, it’s an American and Virginian issue. Every legal vote deserves to be counted without being diluted by illegal votes or faulty equipment. In Virginia, we’re committed to fairness and transparency in our elections.”
He further elaborated on the state’s meticulous election processes: “We operate with 100% paper ballots maintained under stringent custody protocols. Our counting devices, distinct from voting machines, undergo comprehensive testing before each election and are never online. Virginia does not engage in unsolicited mailing of ballots. Additionally, round-the-clock surveillance is implemented on our ballot drop-off locations. We also use DMV records among other reliable sources for the daily verification and maintenance of our voter registry.
This practice is crucial not just for adding eligible voters but also in removing entries that are no longer valid, such as those of deceased individuals, people who have relocated, and non-citizens who might have registered either mistakenly or with intention to defraud.”
This initiative underlines Virginia’s stern stance on upholding the integrity of the election process, ensuring that each vote cast is legitimate and correctly accounted for.
