The Botetourt County Director of Elections and General Registrar Traci Clark said 473 people have been purged from the county’s voter registration lists by the Virginia Department of Elections. (VDE).
The purge was completed as part of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) list maintenance process last week.
This cancellation of voters is required by Virginia code and is in compliance with the NVRA, Clark said in an email. An official announcement is also included in this week’s Herald.
“The voters contained on this cancellation list were placed into ‘inactive’ status on or before August 6, 2014, did not respond to multiple notices, and have not voted in any election or updated their voter registration between August 6, 2014 and February 27, 2017,” Clark said. A public list is posted at the Botetourt County Clerk’s office and the county Department of Elections and General Registration office, both in Fincastle..
Under federal and state laws, a voter who appears to have moved from their residence of registration, but has not responded to a request to confirm their residence, is maintained on the voter lists as “inactive” through the next two federal general elections unless the voter casts a vote in any Virginia election or updates their registration information during this period.
“Inactive” voters are eligible to vote if they update or confirm their registration information, or if they appear at the polls (or apply to vote absentee) and confirm that they have not moved (or have moved, but within the same locality and congressional district).
If they do not reactivate their registrations, they are removed from the rolls after two federal general elections have passed.
Voters who believes they were removed in error should contact the county Department of Elections & Voter Registration at (540) 928-2120 or the Virginia Department of Elections at 800-552-9745. Voters who are qualified to vote may complete a new voter registration application in-person and at any DMV office or online at vote.virginia.gov.