Voting began in the Democratic Primary Friday, incorporating a voting access measure for voters who have disabilities.
The official primary day is June 8th but in-person, early voting will last until June 5th. Voters don’t need a reason to vote absentee and can request a ballot in person or by mail. But they have to do it by May 28th.
A notable change comes for voters who are visually impaired or have impaired manual dexterity.
Last July, voters with disabilities and organizations representing them filed a complaint. They said Virginia was violating the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Virginia Department of Elections agreed to a settlement to resolve the complaint. Beginning with the Democratic primary, these voters have the option to use an electronic ballot marking device, even if they vote absentee.
Virginia’s new Voting Rights law will make this a permanent feature of elections when it goes into effect on July 1st.
Republicans wanting to participate in their convention on May 8th will need to become a delegate. Deadlines for that vary by locality, and many have already passed.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
