Board approves edited resolution on early voting after County Attorney clarification

County Attorney Jason Ham told the Board that "the Electoral Board is its own separate Constitutional office, so the Board of Supervisors does not direct the actions of the General Registrar or the Board of Elections." He explained there is a pending case before the Virginia Supreme Court related to an injunction on early voting and that the Board should avoid instructing the General Registrar to take actions the court has declined to order.

Mr. Ham proposed edits to the resolution’s second paragraph to reflect the Electoral Board’s independence and to avoid directing the registrar beyond what the court’s pending decisions require. Supervisor Mark Dotson thanked Mr. Ham for the clarification. Supervisor Dotson moved and Supervisor Kyle Gutshall seconded approval of the resolution with the attorney’s edits; the motion passed by unanimous roll-call vote. The Board did not direct specific operational steps for the General Registrar; the approved language reflected the attorney’s guidance about appropriate scope.