Ranked Choice Voting
SB 270 Presidential primaries; ranked choice voting.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=sb270
SB 428 Elections; allows for any local or constitutional office to be conducted by ranked choice voting.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=sb428
HB 658 Elections; allows for any local or constitutional office to be conducted by ranked choice voting.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb658
HB 841 Elections; allows for any local or constitutional office to be conducted by ranked choice voting.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb841
ERIC
SB 606 Voter registration; list maintenance; data sharing; requiring membership in the Electronic.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=sb606
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?241+ful+SB606+pdf
HB 1177 Voter registration; list maintenance; data sharing; requiring membership.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb1177
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?241+ful+HB1177
STUDY OF PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS
HJ 20 Study; joint committee of the House and Senate Committees on Privileges and Elections to study.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hj20
ELECTION REFORM
HB 393 Election reform.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb393
COMMISSIONER OF ELECTIONS APPOINTMENT
HB 742 Elections. State Board of; appointment of Commissioner of Elections.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb742
ELECTION ADMINISTRATION
HB 465 Election administration; recommended number of deputy general registrars.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb465
HB 939 Elections administration; prohibits possession of firearm within 100 feet of certain locations.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb939
HB 940 Elections administration; change to location of polling place, additional notice requirement.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb940
HB 989 Elections administration; duties of the Department of Elections; required election participation.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb989
HB 1189 Elections; conduct of election; ascertainment of results; random hand count audits.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb1189
OFFICERS OF ELECTIONS
HB 189 Officers of elections; leaves of absence from respective duties.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb189
ELECTORAL BOARD
HB 998 Conduct of elections; electoral board to meet to ascertain results; permitted period of adjournment.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb998
TYPES OF ELECTIONS
HB 79 Special elections; elections permitted to be held on the same day as a primary election.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb79
HB 345 Municipal elections; city or town allowed to hold its elections on first Tuesday in May.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb345
HB 409 Election of certain governing bodies; conversion to single-member districts.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb409
HB 417 Vacancies in elected local offices; timeliness of special election to fill vacancy.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb417
HB 668 Elections, local; locality my by ordinance shift the timing of the election.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb668
HB 1003 Elections; precincts and polling places; notice of changes mailed at least 30 days prior.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb1003
HB 1302 Election of certain governing bodies; conversion to single-member districts.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb1302
HB 56 Voter registration by political party affiliation; partially closed primary elections.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb56
HB 943 Voter registration; protected voter status, elections officials.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb943
VOTER IDENTIFICATION
HB 1170 Elections; conduct of election; provisional voting procedures; type of identification to be noted.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb1170
HB 1176 Elections; voter identification containing photograph required, availability of absentee voting.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb1176
VOTING ASSISTANCE
SB 605 Assistance for certain voters outside of the polling place; definition of.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?241+cab+SC10112SB0605+SBREF
ABSENTEE BALLOTS
HB 44 Absentee voting; absentee voting in person, available beginning 30 days prior to election.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb44
HB 694 Absentee voting; counting ballots prior to the close of polls.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb694
HB 796 Absentee voting; electronic ballot return.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb796
HB 932 Absentee voting; limits availability of absentee voting in person.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb932
HB 1171 Absentee voting; processing absentee ballots returned before election day; processing upon receipt.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb1171
HB 1172 Absentee voting; voter satellite offices; minimum number required.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb1172
HB 1200 Absentee voting in person; available beginning on the fourteenth day prior to election.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb1200
CANDIDATES
HB 55 Primary elections; candidates for nomination, withdrawal of candidacy.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb55
HB 254 Candidates in elections; party identification of candidates on ballot.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb254
HB 413 Elections; form of ballot, party identification of candidates, constitutional offices.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb413
HB 429 Elections; form of ballot, party identification of candidates, constitutional offices.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb429
CAMPAIGN MISCELLANEOUS
HB 276 Campaign advertisements; independent expenditures, electioneering communications.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb276
HB 1045 Elections; campaign finance; Public Campaigns Program and Fund established; tax check-off.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb1045
HB 1314 Political campaign advertisements; advertisements sponsored by a person or nonparty committee.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb1314
HB 1346 Elections; campaign finance; exemption for candidates for local office or directors.
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?ses=241&typ=bil&val=hb1346
background & resources
Ranked Choice Voting (RCV)
The idea of Ranked Choice Voting goes back more than 20 years. Many people think of RCV as a simplified process akin to a group of people deciding what type of food they are going to eat based on everyone’s inputs. They continue to eliminate the low voter option, although amongst friends, you have the opportunity to join the next round of voting for one of the remaining food choices. This process continues until only one food choice remains. The reality is it’s not that simple when you multiply the participants to thousands or hundreds of thousands.
Ranked Choice Voting is a process of steps, complicated steps with an infinite number of ways to calculate and project a winner. At each step of the way, someone is eliminated. Those who voted for the loser has their 2nd choice votes added to the remaining candidates, then those ballots of those voting for the loser are “exhausted” which is another way of gently saying they are now in the trash can – no longer needed or counted in the remaining steps. Then, the next round of voting commences. At least that’s what they would like you to believe.
The second round starts with a new list of candidates (those who won the previous round) and a new number of voters who survived the round one process and had a few more votes added to their score card. What you are utilizing now is variables and probability. Those are known in the math world as Statistics and Probability. From there, you enter Probability Calculus which skills are developed through algorithmic procedures. Then, you can toss in combinatorial calculus in the mix to make it interesting, overwhelming, complicated and wrought with calculation errors. Today’s technology has honed the calculation process through artificial intelligence, a.k.a. the computer; however, it doesn’t eliminate calculation errors. Remember the adage: Garbage In; Garbage Out, and ask yourself when was the last time you won the lottery or anything at the slots?
The reality of Ranked Choice Voting is there is no longer a need to count, recount or audit the ballots because the result of the election is calculated on the input of voters and the algorithms used in calculating the end result – the winner. The framers of the several election bills pushing the use of Ranked Choice Voting know this. In SB 428 and HB 841, this is stated: “Lines 79 – 80, Paragraph K. Any risk-limiting audit of elections conducted by ranked choice voting pursuant to § 24.2-671.2 shall be limited to an audit of first rankings reported by voting systems.” The number of rounds is dependent on the number of people running. This is not good; Ranked Choice Voting is detrimental in keeping elections honest and transparent!
TAKE ACTION and let our legislators know your feelings on Ranked Choice Voting.
America’s foundation has been “ONE” vote per each legal voter, not a “divided” vote in a numbers game where thousands of votes are disenfranchised.
The voters in the blue state of Massachusetts back in 2020 said “No” to Ranked Choice Voting.
Arlington was the first to step OUT in our state to give Ranked Choice Voting a try during their Democrat Primary this past June. When they witnessed the difficulty in tabulating the process, saw a strong, top contender lose and witnessed over 4,000 votes being disenfranchised, the ALL-Democrat Board of Supervisors unanimously voted “NO” on continuing Ranked Choice Voting. Sadly, they are taking another look for June’s primary.
We have the power, here and now, to make a difference in preserving our fundamental privilege to vote for the “best” candidate of our choice, not a collective 3rd, 4th or 10th choice.
Tell all our legislators we do NOT want Ranked Choice Voting pushed down our throats and undermine our individual vote. We should not depend on a computer program to tally a vote when we cannot manually count the vote. 1 Legal Voter – 1 Vote maintaining United We Stand; RCV divides the vote and disenfranchises voters ensuring Divided We Fall.
ERIC – Electronic Registration Information Center
Seven ERIC member states, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, West Virginia, Ohio and Iowa, left ERIC by March 2023, citing a litany of reasons. Many of these were:
(1) Member states are obligated and accountable to their citizens and taxpayers, should not be forced to meet specific requirements, like Eligible but Unregistered voter mailings or conduct cross-state requirements.
(2) ERIC allowed the former Executive Director, David Becker, to continue within ERIC as an ex-officio non-voting member on its governance board, stating ex-officio partisan members are not representative of specific states and have undue influence over the organization and its decisions.
(3) Based on each state’s needs, member states should be able to utilize ERIC’s data-sharing services that are most valuable to them, ‘a la carte.’
(4) And, most serious, member states are obligated to protect personal information of its citizens, which the ERIC agreement requires them to share outside member states. The Virginia’s Commissioner of Elections, Susan Beals, officially withdrew from ERIC in May 2023 and followed by Texas in July.
On 6 Nov 2018, the New York Times posted an article, Another Use of AI: Finding Millions of Unregistered Voters (https://archive.ph/cDcKJ). The computer brains behind this initiative was/is Jeff Jonas utilizing his algorithmic formula, finding data within data. Since 2014, Mr. Jonas has used his software in ERIC which “has identified 26 million people who are eligible but unregistered to vote.” Why did it take so long for Virginia to realize this venture was a cover? Unfortunately, Virginia joined ERIC as a founding member state in 2012.
The creator of ERIC is David Becker. He has had many diverse interests and experience ranging from working at the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division Voting Section as a senior trial attorney to initiating and spearheading ERIC at Pew Charitable Trusts. However, the development of the concept started much earlier. In 2005, CalTech/MIT submitted a report entitled, Voting Technology Project. It highlighted a “voter registration as a pressing problem,” according to an early study conducted by Voting Technology Project in 2001. They found “registration information is used to control who votes and information is used for election management.” CalTech/MIT’s 2010 study added another layer of interest and action, The Quality of Voter Registration Records. There was technology already out there being used by Catalist, LLC, a Washington based firm earlier known as Data Warehouse. This firm was recommended to CalTech/MIT by the Pew Center of the States. Catalist is a “primer political data vendor in the business whose Beneficial Owner from 2008 is George Soros. They built a nationwide voter file that is used by the Democratic Party and other interest groups on the Democratic side of the political spectrum,” including labor unions. Therefore, the concept of ERIC is not new, and ERIC launched through Pew Charitable Trusts in 2012 with David Becker at the helm.
In 2016, David Becker founded the Center of Election Innovation & Research (CEIR). Then in Sep 2021, he established the Election Official Legal Defense Network (EOLDN) since there’s an onslaught of threats from the right who can’t let go that they lost. When Susan Beals replaced Chris Piper in 2022, Chris Piper took a legal advisory role at EOLN which implies there was a partnership forged during Chris Piper’s tenure as Virginia’s Commissioner of Elections from 2018 – 2022. https://eoldn.org/about/ Click on his picture for more info.
David Becker’s associations continue as CBS’s election law expert and serves other news agencies like, NPR, PBS, CNN and MSNBC. And, his bio lauds him as a 2-time graduate of UCal-Berkeley, a 2-time winner on Jeopardy and a winner on Who Wants to be a Millionaire.
However, with all his accolades comes impropriety. What he doesn’t mention is his involvement as a Campaign Director for the Democracy Campaign through People for the American Way between 2006 and 2008. He described himself as an experienced rights litigator, regarding voting technology, voter suppression and more in a very radical, far left-leaning organization.
Here’s more of what you should know:
On 28 Apr 2022, David Becker was on the record with A l Reporter criticizing the “Zuckerbucks” laws. He said that CEIR received about $65 million in the grants and distributed them “without discretion.” He also said, “it was only after Congress and the state legislatures failed to provide additional resources that they graciously stepped in.” He’s a lawyer, flagrantly ignoring Federal law. Zuckerberg and his wife handed over $19.5 million to CEIR for the following year.
You cannot dismiss the fact that when he started the ERIC imitative, he did so under the premise of soliciting “Best Practices” of hard working and dedicated Election Officials, then as time progressed, it turned into Election Officials are being threatened by deniers, Republicans and Conservatives to Election Officials are up over their heads, over worked and under paid, and we need to get away from paper and move to electronic means.
On Twitter, David Becker has a tag, @thebigtruthbook, where he’s pushing “The Big Truth – Upholding Democracy in the Age of THE BIG LIE” with his co-author, Major Garrett.” And, “if we don’t believe it, read the report.” That report and other reports by Brennan Center for Justice, Brookings Institute, Belfar Center and Palgrave McMillian highlight the transitioning ideology of centralized voting.
This ideology isn’t limited to Becker and other team players. You have members in Congress putting forth legislation justifying the need for the Federal government to control the voting process because citizens are TOO confused with all the voting laws that differ from state-to-state. Check out S.2747 – Freedom to Vote Act sponsored by Sen Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), introduced in Sep 21; there are 27 related bills. In Feb 2023, Representative John B Larson of Connecticut and former Connecticut Secretary of State Miles Rapoport advocated “universal voting, making our democracy fully inclusive and vibrantly participatory.” Connecticut is also pushing for 16-year-olds to vote. It’s real, and it’s happening now!
The other part not mentioned; however, known, is our children’s PII is uploaded with the DMV records since they are in possession of their learner permits and/or received special identification cards for travel and those are locked into their social security number. It’s a serious problem having personal identifying information (PII) and that of our children being collected by ERIC then handed over to CEIR then dispersed to other 501(C)(3)s. Remember, this data transfer has been going on since Virginia joined ERIC in 2012. As far as I can recall, the DMV, nor the Registrar’s Office, ever told me my PII was being shared. In August 2023, we learned it resides on two servers in China (Beijing and Hong Kong), managed by Peter Choo, Zuckerberg’s, Risk and Compliance Manager of Facebook. https://rumble.com/v3db1xq-bernegger-explosive-information-in-wi-senate-hearing.html This is unacceptable and inexcusable!
HUGE! Dem SOS Sued For Violating Minnesota Law When He Gave “Highly Sensitive Personal Information” of Adults and Minors To ERIC
thegatewaypundit.com/2023/10/huge-dem-sos-sued-violating-minnesota-law-when/ Oct. 13, 2023 3:20 pm
TAKE ACTION NOW:
Please let our Virginia representatives know we do NOT need ERIC. We cannot afford to further compromise our citizens’ personal identifying information or allow David Becker, George Soros, Mark Zuckerberg and others who are vested in undermining our elections and jeopardizing the privacy of our citizens’ personal identifying information. We should hold our legislators accountable for failing to protect our PII, and the thought of putting more of our citizens’ PII back in the hands of individuals who don’t need it, to me is a dereliction of their sworn oath as identified in the Code of Virginia, 49-1, Oaths and Affirmations.
Bill & overview: https://www.restorationofamerica.com/restoration-news/eric/breaking-will-desperate-virginia-democrats-get-out-the-vote-with-eric/
BILLs to require the Commonwealth’s participation in the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC).
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?241+ful+HB1177
https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?241+ful+SB606
More Background Research (Click here for more info)
1) David Becker, Election Officers Legal Defense Network: https://eoldn.org/leadership/david-becker/
2) Becker in the news in Dec 2021: https://www.cbs58.com/news/lawyers-working-for-wisconsin-election-officials-at-no-cost-to-diffuse-threats-voter-fraud-claims