2022 Legislative Recap: Virginia Democrats Foil More Than A Dozen Republican Bills Restricting the Right To Vote

2022 Legislative Recap: Virginia Democrats Foil More Than A Dozen Republican Bills Restricting the Right To Vote

Brick Wall Caucus Stands Up to Republicans Who Want to Undo Voting Rights

Richmond, VA – This session, Republicans attempted to roll back Virginia’s progress and pass a flurry of voting restriction bills, from repealing same-day voting to gutting access to absentee ballots. At every turn, Virginia Democrats and the Brick Wall Caucus reiterated their commitment to protecting our democracy and defeated EVERY Republican voting restriction bill – a massive victory in an effort to keep Virginia’s elections free, fair and secure.

Here are some of the many failed Republican attempts aimed at restricting Virginia’s right to vote:

• HB1090 / SB127 Reinstates photo ID requirements.
• HB34 / SB236 Repeals drop-boxes for absentee ballots.
• HB35 / SB552 Repeals no-excuse absentee voting.
• HB185 / SB167 / SB235 Repeals same-day voter registration.
• SB697 Restricts same-day voting.
• SB460 / HB956 Limits the timeframe for when absentee ballots can be counted.
• HB39 / HB178 / HB945 Dramatically cuts early in-person voting period.
• HB175 Repeals the permanent absentee voter list.
• HB149 / HB310 Reinstates unnecessary requirements to obtain an absentee ballot.
• SB162 Creates unnecessary requirements for voter registration.

Last year, Governor Youngkin launched his campaign on an “election integrity task force,” and continues to be all-in on Trump’s far-right conspiracy theories that erode our democratic process. This session, the Governor and his Republican allies continued with their conspiracy crusade and sponsored voting restriction legislation under the “election integrity”. That included an unhinged attempt to spend $70 million of Virginia’s taxpayer dollars to run a “forensic audit” of the 2020 election based on false election fraud claims.

“This session, Republicans threw everything at the wall attempting to restrict Virginians from their most fundamental right – the right to participate in their democracy,” said DPVA Chairwoman Susan Swecker. “Despite Republican efforts, Virginia Democrats thwarted attempts and worked tirelessly to ensure that every Virginian has the ability to cast their vote. It’s simple: while Republicans continue to restrict voting rights, Democrats will remain steadfast in their defense of protecting a Virginian’s right to participate in their elections.”

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