About Us

Mission

The Department of Elections promotes and supports accurate, fair, open and secure elections for the citizens of the Commonwealth.

Vision

The Department of Elections envisions a highly modern, efficient and professional electoral process that is trustworthy and accountable at all levels and engages Virginia’s diverse citizenry in the most fundamental right in a democratic society: the right to vote.

State Board of Elections

The State Board of Elections is the regulatory board for the Department of Elections. It is authorized to prescribe standard forms for voter registration and elections, and to supervise, coordinate, and adopt regulations governing the work of local electoral boards, registrars, and officers of election.

State Board of Elections Meeting Information

Board Meeting Information for Virginia State Board of Elections including meeting dates, agendas, and working papers, can be found on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall website.

• townhall.virginia.gov

Agency Guidance

• Strategic Plan 2022(includes Service Area Plan)
• Elections' Expenditures
• 2021 Organization Chart
• Employee Code of Ethics
• Delegations of Authority 2024
• 2020 SBE Annual Report
• 2021 SBE Annual Report
• 2022 SBE Annual Report
• 2023 SBE Annual Report

History

The Virginia State Board of Elections (SBE) was created in 1946 as a nonpolitical agency responsible for ensuring uniformity, fairness, and accuracy in all elections in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The SBE promoted the proper administration of election laws, campaign finance disclosure compliance, and voter registration processes in the state by promulgating rules, regulations, issuing instructions, and providing information to local electoral boards and general registrars.

In 2014, the Department of Elections (ELECT) was formed. ELECT conducts the State Board of Elections' administrative and programmatic operations and discharges the board's duties consistent with delegated authority. ELECT is authorized to establish and maintain a statewide automated voter registration system to include procedures for ascertaining current addresses of registrants; to require cancellation of records for registrants no longer qualified; to provide electronic application for voter registration and absentee ballots; and to provide electronic delivery of absentee ballots to eligible military and overseas voters. ELECT is made up of three business units that work with a regulatory board.

Awards

The Department of Elections has been recognized for excellence in several categories, from security to accessibility and voter outreach.

•  2024
  • SWaM Certificate of Achievement – Presented by Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity
• 2023
  • Honorable Mention – Commonwealth of Virginia Cyber Sweep Competition
• 2021
  • Telly Awards (2) – Protect 2020: Virtual Security Workshop
  • VASCAN Founders Award – Cyber Navigator program
• 2019
  • Governor’s Technology Award – Two-Factor Authentication Initiative
  • Center for Plain Language ClearMark Award – What Ifs: A complete guide for helping voters with exceptional situations
• 2017
  • Governor’s Technology Award – Motor Voter Initiative
• 2014
  • Community Connection Award
  • Shining Star Award
• 2013
  • Governor’s Technology Award – Online Voter Registration