Department of Elections identifies additional transactions in voter registration system

Additional transactions that did not previously populate to the online voter registration hopper for processing by local general registrars have been identified by the Department of Elections (ELECT).

Directly related to a previously reported computing error involving the statewide voter registration system, according to a press release, all affected voters have been able to vote. Voters who have information that needs to be updated can register and vote up to and including on Election Day under Virginia’s same day voter registration law.

Additional transactions include address updates, new registrations and other changes resulting from visits to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) between May and September of 2022. Virginia’s 133 general registrars are individually processing each of the 149,000 additional records to determine voter eligibility in accordance with Virginia code.

After several voters came to vote whose information was not updated, ELECT conducted a review and discovered the additional transactions. The voters proceeded to voter and information was updated onsite by the general registrar.

“I am very grateful for the vigilance of Virginia’s general registrars in quickly surfacing concerns during early voting,” Elections Commissioner Susan Beals said in the press release. “With information from local officials, ELECT’s IT professionals were able to scour the election system data to identify the additional transactions for processing. I’m pleased that all affected voters are able to vote and that anyone with questions or concerns can reach out to us directly so that we may assist them as we near Election Day.”

ELECT is offering additional staff assistance to any general registrar who requests it.

ELECT announced the award of a contract last week to build and implement the state’s new voter registration system and replace the Virginia Election and Registration System (VERIS), a 15-year-old system, hopefully by February 2025.

Voters who have questions about their registration status may go to the Department of Elections website or call 804-864-8901 and dial 0.