Virginia Voter Registration Extended to Friday Due to Web Site Crashes

The Virginia State Board of Elections has extended the deadline to register to vote in Virginia to Friday, according to a spokeswoman for New Virginia Majority, the group that took election officials to court this week after the online voter registration system crashed.

The deadline previously was midnight Monday. Cameron Sasnett, registrar for the Fairfax County Elections Office, said Thursday the online system "took a nosedive." The system crash meant that some people didn't get a chance to register to vote by the deadline.

"It's hard to say exactly how many people couldn't get through on the online voter registration system," said Tram Nguyen, co-executive director of the group that sued election officials to push the deadline back. "Folks couldn't submit their information." The group began receiving phone calls from people as early as Sunday about not being able to register online, she said.

“We’re pleased with today’s order to extend Virginia’s voter registration deadline to ensure every eligible Virginian who wants to register to vote is able," she said. "The right to vote is at the heart of what it means to be an American. For thousands of Virginians who recently had their right to vote restored, this order means they will have a voice in November, many for the first time. That’s something we can all be proud of.”

On Thursday morning, Judge Claude Hilton ruled in the group's favor in a federal court in Alexandria. The group filed the lawsuit on behalf of Kathy and Michael Kern, a Charlottesville couple who tried to register online Sunday and Monday without success, the Post reported. New Virginia Majority Education Fund and Virginia Civic Engagement Table are also plaintiffs.

The State Board of Elections will be notifying the Commonwealth's registrars to let them know to re-open voter registration for the next 36 hours until midnight Friday, Nguyen said. People will be able to register either on paper or online. You can find information about how to register to vote online here.

Fairfax County issued an alert Thursday afternoon:

The Virginia Eastern District Court has issued an injunction in the case of New Virginia Majority Educational Fund v. Virginia Department of Elections that extends Virginia’s Oct. 17 voter registration deadline to Oct. 21.

The guidance from the Department of Elections is to accept all voter registration applications that are –

• Received in-person during normal business hours (until 7pm today [Thursday] and between 8am and 4:30pm Friday)
• Received online by 11:59pm on Friday Oct. 21
• Received through the mail with a valid postmark on or before Friday Oct. 21.

Alexandria also issued an alert:

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia has ordered the voter registration deadline in Virginia extended through Friday, Oct. 21. Eligible voters may register in one of the following ways:

• Submit the application online at https://vote.elections.virginia.gov by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21.

• Register in person at the Office of Voter Registration, 132 North Royal St., Suite 100, before 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 21.

• Download an application at www.alexandriava.gov/Elections, then print and sign the completed form and mail it to the Office of Voter Registration, 132 North Royal St., Suite 100, Alexandria, VA 22314. Applications must be postmarked on or before Friday, October 21.

Voters may check registration status at https://vote.elections.virginia.gov or by contacting the Alexandria Office of Voter Registration at voters@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.4050.

All eligible voters who register to vote on before Friday, Oct. 21, will be able to vote in the General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 8. For more information about registering to vote, please visit www.alexandriava.gov/Elections or contact General Registrar Anna Leider at anna.leider@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.4050.

You may view your current voter registration status, your ballot, your polling place, request an absentee ballot, and find more information at vote.virginia.gov. If you have questions about your registration status, contact the General Registrar of your county or city.

If you are registered to vote but don’t have acceptable photo ID, you can get a Voter Photo ID for free at any local voter registration office. Find your local voter registration office at elections.virginia.gov/LocalGR.

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