COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

RICHMOND

MARK L. COLE

JILL H. VOGEL

88 TH DISTRICT
HOUSE OF DELEGATES

27 TH DISTRICT
SENATE OF VIRGINIA

November 2, 2016

The Honorable Terence R. McAuliffe

Governor of Virginia
Patrick Henry Building
1111 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Dear Governor McAuliffe:
In 2013, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation requiring individuals and third party
groups registering 25 or more people to vote to obtain training and registration with the
Department of Elections. The intent of the legislation was to ensure that individuals and third
party groups participating in voter registration drives follow the law and to help prevent voter
fraud from occurring in the Commonwealth.
An October 28, 2016 article in the Richmond-Times Dispatch details how an Alexandria resident
allegedly committed voter fraud by fraudulently completing voter registration applications and
submitted them to the Department of Elections. The individual charged with voter fraud was an
employee of New Virginia Majority and authorized to act on its behalf.
New Virginia Majority is a third party group that has a large number of individuals registered
with the Department of Elections to conduct voter registration drives across the Commonwealth.
New Virginia Majority also enjoys partner status with the Department of Elections on the
Governors Challenge in High School Voter Registration. New Virginia Majority apparently
works closely with your administration as is evidenced by the three weeks advanced notice they
received in regards to your executive order purporting to restore the political rights of convicted
felons.
Given the recent charges of voter fraud connected with an employee of New Virginia Majority,
we respectfully request that New Virginia Majoritys partner status with the Department of
Elections be rescinded immediately. We also request that any voter registration applications
submitted by New Virginia Majority or any of its affiliated individuals be reviewed immediately
to ensure that no additional fraudulent applications were submitted.
Voter fraud is a serious crime in the Commonwealth and should be taken seriously within the
Department of Elections. Individuals or third party groups that employ individuals committing
voter fraud should be reviewed immediately by the Department of Elections, and any voter
State Capitol Post Office Box 406 Richmond, Virginia 23218

registration applications submitted should receive additional scrutiny to ensure they are valid
registration applications.
We appreciate your attentiveness to this important issue as we all work to ensure Virginia has
free, open, and fair elections. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
Respectfully yours,

Mark L. Cole
Chairman
House Privileges & Elections Committee

cc: The Honorable Nancy Rodriquez

Secretary of Administration
Patrick Henry Building
1111 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219

Edgardo Corts
Commissioner, Virginia Department of Elections
Washington Building
1100 Bank Street, First Floor
Richmond, Virginia 23219

Jill H. Vogel
Chairwoman
Senate Privileges & Elections Committee