Roanoke Co. Republican Party files lawsuit against the Roanoke County Registrar’s Office

Roanoke County, Virginia – The Republican Party of Virginia has filed a lawsuit against the Roanoke County Registrar’s Office to follow proper election procedures regarding the pre-processing of absentee ballots.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the Roanoke County Republican Chairman, Dan Webb in the Roanoke County Circuit Court on Oct. 30.
During the week of Oct. 26, it came to the attention of Chairman Webb that the Roanoke County Registrar’s Office had begun pre-processing over 9,000 returned absentee ballots without notifying the Roanoke County Republican Committee that the process had begun.
“We hope they will agree to follow the law, that we can have an observer there, that pre-processing can begin from the beginning and we can observe every single ballot,” said Webb.
That is a violation of Va. Admin. Code 20-70-4- requiring the registrar provide sufficient notice to the political parties to enable them to have authorized representatives present to observe absentee ballot pre-processing.
“I don’t know where they are in this process because I have not been able to have an observer there. So, it’s all very concerning, the law is very clear,” said Webb.
“The failure of the Roanoke County Registrar to provide proper notice to the Roanoke County Republican Party that absentee ballot pre-processing had begun is startling, casting a shadow over the credibility of the Registrar’s Office,” said Chairman Webb. “The fact that the Roanoke County Democratic Party Chairwoman’s husband was present at the start of the pre-processing has even greater implications than simple neglect following the letter of the law inside the Registrar’s Office. It is my hope that the Court will compel the Registrar’s Office to strictly adhere to the letter of the law so that the citizens of Roanoke County can be assured ballots are handled with care and proper diligence in accord with the laws of Virginia.”