On election night, journalists, pundits, politicians, and the public must have patience when contemplating election results. Conducting an election in a pandemic brings many changes, including a massive shift to absentee and early voting. Thanks to democracy reforms passed earlier this year, it’s easy, safe and secure for voters to participate by absentee voting—and hundreds […]
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ICYMI: Interpreting the Results, Setting the Stage: Election 2020
The media must set realistic expectations and report election results only after every valid vote has been counted. It will be nearly impossible to declare a winner on election night because of the massive amount of absentee ballots that must be validated and counted in the days and weeks after Nov. 3. Careful consideration is […]
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Record Numbers of Virginians Turn Out for Early Voting
As of today, 1,482,583 Virginia voters have applied for absentee ballots—more than two and a half times as many as the total number of requests at this time four years ago. Of the over 1 million absentee ballots, 423,817 have voted in person and 345,891 have been returned via mail. Another over 700,000 ballots are still in […]
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Progress Virginia Responds To Trump’s Latest Attacks on Military Ahead of Virginia Visit
Newport News, Virginia—In advance of Donald Trump’s campaign rally tonight, Progress Virginia released two new web ads featuring veterans calling out his latest disrespectful comments about the military. “The continued attacks on our military personnel are reprehensible but not surprising,” said Anna Scholl, executive director of Progress Virginia. “He uses the military like he uses […]
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Voters Breathe Easier as House and Senate Pass Bills to Make Voting Safer and More Secure
Voters Breathe Easier as House and Senate Pass Bills to Make Voting Safer and More Secure Richmond, Virginia—Voters can feel secure in the knowledge that when they go to vote this election season, their vote will be safe and secure, as always. Members of the House of Delegates and State Senate voted to pass Delegate […]
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House and Senate Committees Take First Step Towards Ensuring Voting During a Pandemic Is Even Safer and More Secure for Everyone
Richmond, Virginia—Today, members of the House Appropriations Committee voted 13-9 to advance Delegate Mark Sickles’ bill HB5103. Members of the Senate Finance Committee voted 11-5 to advance Senator Janet Howell’s SB5120, an identical version of the same bill earlier this morning. These bills would allow registrars to establish secure drop boxes for voters to return […]
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Abortion Access Advocates Release Documentary Featuring Virginians Sharing Their Abortion Stories
Abortion Access Advocates Release Documentary Featuring Virginians Sharing Their Abortion Stories Shine The Light: Abortion Access in Virginia is a four-part documentary series that will be released episodically online over the next few weeks. Virginia—Shine The Light: Abortion Access in Virginia is a documentary featuring four Virginians sharing what it was really like to have […]
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Advocates Disappointed Governor Northam Won’t Use Rainy Day Funds To Support Hardworking Families in Pandemic
Richmond, Virginia—Between a pandemic that is causing families to struggle with massive unemployment, a child care crisis, police brutalizing protesters in the streets on a near-nightly basis all summer long, and reckoning with our racist past, it is not just raining in Virginia, it’s pouring. But this morning, Governor Ralph Northam unveiled a budget that […]
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ICYMI: Get Ready for Election Season, Not Election Night
Richmond, Virginia—This year, be prepared for election season. With new laws expanding access to absentee voting and a global pandemic pushing more voters to vote by mail, election results are unlikely to be available on election night in all races. A new law expands eligibility for ballots postmarked by Election Day and received by noon […]
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Actually, No, Trump Cannot Delay the Election
The Tweeter-in-Chief has done it again. President Trump tweeted this morning that he is contemplating delaying our November elections. There are safe, secure, and healthy ways to vote despite the raging COVID-19 pandemic. Not only can we conduct a safe and secure election in November, but Donald Trump does not have the power to delay […]