100 signatures reached
To: Del. Marcia Price, Chair of Privileges and Elections Committee, Del. Luke Torian, Chair of Appropriations Committee, Del. Irene Shin
IVOTE: Illuminate Voters To Empower
Problem: It is too hard to find information about elections and candidates in Virginia.
Proposal: Legislation to support an informed electorate
Goal: Provide easily accessible information about elections and candidates to voters.
Background: Getting information about elections and candidates is very difficult. Recent special elections for Congress, for example, were not well advertised and most of our neighbors were completely unaware of the election. With the digital age, we should all have easy access to this information. Relying on mailers from campaigns is not enough.
The proposed bill would provide funding for establishing and maintaining a website for ALL elections in Virginia - school board to governor.
Key points:
1. By entering your address to find out about elections, ALL information voters at that address need to know about their ballot, dates, locations, bonds and referenda will be viewable on a single page. This includes a link to register to vote, as well as information about Same Day Voter Registration that can be completed at polling place along with a provisional ballot.
2. Information provided would include the candidates with brief summaries of qualifications and positions, election dates, locations to vote.
3. Candidates would be able to provide the information at no cost, hopefully, this would enable people to run without raising a lot of money.
4. Results from the elections would be available as soon as possible.
5. Website would need to be actively maintained so it is up to date.
6. Voters would be able to sign up for notifications by either text and/or email, when an election is scheduled in their area.
7. Candidates would be able to have one video posted to introduce themselves and provide their position. Negative information about their opponents would not be allowed.
8. Dates and access points for forums or debates should be posted as well. If possible, funding for one forum provided for each election.
Proposal: Legislation to support an informed electorate
Goal: Provide easily accessible information about elections and candidates to voters.
Background: Getting information about elections and candidates is very difficult. Recent special elections for Congress, for example, were not well advertised and most of our neighbors were completely unaware of the election. With the digital age, we should all have easy access to this information. Relying on mailers from campaigns is not enough.
The proposed bill would provide funding for establishing and maintaining a website for ALL elections in Virginia - school board to governor.
Key points:
1. By entering your address to find out about elections, ALL information voters at that address need to know about their ballot, dates, locations, bonds and referenda will be viewable on a single page. This includes a link to register to vote, as well as information about Same Day Voter Registration that can be completed at polling place along with a provisional ballot.
2. Information provided would include the candidates with brief summaries of qualifications and positions, election dates, locations to vote.
3. Candidates would be able to provide the information at no cost, hopefully, this would enable people to run without raising a lot of money.
4. Results from the elections would be available as soon as possible.
5. Website would need to be actively maintained so it is up to date.
6. Voters would be able to sign up for notifications by either text and/or email, when an election is scheduled in their area.
7. Candidates would be able to have one video posted to introduce themselves and provide their position. Negative information about their opponents would not be allowed.
8. Dates and access points for forums or debates should be posted as well. If possible, funding for one forum provided for each election.
Why is this important?
Virginia votes every year, and specific districts have additional special elections at odd times throughout the year as needed to fill vacant seats. When reaching out to people about voting during Get Out the Vote events, we typically ask, "Have you voted yet in the upcoming election?" The most common response to this question by far is, "What election?" Fewer than one fourth of visitors to a 2025 Special Election voting information table in Fairfax County in Fall 2025 were aware of a special election for U.S. House of Representatives in their district.
Once a voter becomes aware of an election that is outside of the 4 year Presidential cycle in November, the next step is finding out who is on their ballot and where and when to cast that ballot. The current system requires numerous clicks to search each of those pieces of information. It is time consuming and confusing and has the impact of discouraging the low-information voter.
For these reasons, we propose a nonpartisan website that supports a search by address which provides all of these pieces of information--not more links to go searching-- on a single page. A voter should be able to find all of the information on a single page so that they know where to vote, when to vote, what to bring, who the candidates are, what the referenda are, as well as links to learn more about the candidates and referenda so that they can inform themselves about the impact of the decision they're going to make on their ballot.
Once a voter becomes aware of an election that is outside of the 4 year Presidential cycle in November, the next step is finding out who is on their ballot and where and when to cast that ballot. The current system requires numerous clicks to search each of those pieces of information. It is time consuming and confusing and has the impact of discouraging the low-information voter.
For these reasons, we propose a nonpartisan website that supports a search by address which provides all of these pieces of information--not more links to go searching-- on a single page. A voter should be able to find all of the information on a single page so that they know where to vote, when to vote, what to bring, who the candidates are, what the referenda are, as well as links to learn more about the candidates and referenda so that they can inform themselves about the impact of the decision they're going to make on their ballot.