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Advocates press State Board to make residency form reflect same-day registration
Summary
Voting-rights groups told the State Board the 'inquiry as to residency' form should explicitly state that people may register to vote and cast a provisional ballot at the polls; the board approved an amended form effective July 1.
Advocacy groups told the State Board of Elections they want clearer language on an "inquiry as to residency" form so voters understand they can register and vote provisionally at the time of voting.
Michelle Kantor Cohen, policy director at the Fair Election Center, urged the board to revise language on the form that could be read as suggesting an application will be denied if information is not returned by the deadline. "We believe this should reference the opportunity to register at the time of voting, as allowed by the Virginia code," she said, asking that the form avoid confusing applicants about appeals versus same-day registration and provisional ballots. Joan Port, president of the League of Women Voters of Virginia, echoed that suggestion.
Miss Coles, presenting the form changes, said the amendments respond to 2025 legislation that shortened the registration-closure period to 10 days before most elections and noted that major revisions tied to associated regulations cannot be made without amending regulatory language. The board voted to approve the amended inquiry-as-to-residency form to be effective July 1, 2025.
What the change means: Staff said the form will be updated to reflect the new statutory final day for registration; advocacy groups sought explicit language about same-day registration and provisional ballots to prevent confusion at polling places. Miss Coles also noted that because the form correlates to regulatory language, substantial wording changes may require parallel regulatory amendment.
