Friends,

Our work in the Special Session for the Virginia General Assembly continues.

As our nation grieves with the heartbreaking losses of more than 200,000 friends, family, and neighbors killed by the coronavirus and the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, we continue to fight for equity and justice for all. It is a fight in which Justice Ginsburg led by example, as she committed even her final days to service to our country.

Justice reform
Last week my bill SB 5035, enabling localities to establish civilian review boards, was reported out of the Senate. It was then heard on Monday in the House Public Safety Committee. The House members voted to conform SB5035 to HB5055 (patroned by House Majority Leader Charniele Herring). Because of the differences in the two bills, it is inevitable that the House and Senate will meet soon in a conference committee to achieve a compromise. We look forward to passing legislation that will increase the collaboration and conversation between local law enforcement and the communities they serve.

Remember, you can always follow all legislation, view all committee meetings and floor sessions, and stay in touch with your representatives by logging into https://lis.virginia.gov/.

Update from our latest town hall
Last week, I hosted a town hall on the upcoming election and Amendment One (redistricting). We had a great discussion about the voting process and the redistricting amendment. Chief Deputy Commissioner Jessica Bowman (Virginia Department of Elections) provided clarification and details about the new voting laws that were enacted on July 1 and as a result of Special Session. These laws, proposed and supported by House and Senate Democrats, make voting more accessible and equitable throughout the Commonwealth. We are seeing the impact of one such new law -- no excuse early voting -- in the enthusiastic turnout of voters since Friday, September 18, the first day of early voting. These new laws enable the Commonwealth to proceed efficiently with the election process, despite the pandemic.

Additionally, the town hall discussion focused on Amendment One, the Redistricting Amendment. Many voters are still trying to decide how best to address the issue of gerrymandered districts in Virginia. The goal for many is that the process be as fair as possible, without partisan interference, and controlled by the governed (rather than by those who govern). We had the opportunity to discuss the issue with both Brian Cannon, representing FairMapsVA, and Christopher Ambrose, representing Fair Districts. Both provided excellent overviews of their respective positions, and I hope that the town hall discussion helped our voters as they make up their own minds about Amendment One.

Thank you to all who tuned in and to our three panelists. You can find a full recap of the town hall here.

Voting
This year’s election is one of the most important in our lifetime, and Virginians have already started voting. I urge everyone to make their voting plans and be sure to cast their ballot.

Here are some key dates and notes about voting in Virginia this year:

• Early voting in Virginia began on September 18.
• Early voting closes Saturday, October 31, but dates and hours may vary based on where you live.
• You can vote early at your local registrar’s office.
• Tuesday, October 13, is the deadline to register to vote or to update an existing registration. Please make sure your information is up to date.
• In order to vote at the registrar’s office or satellite voting location, please make sure you have a form of ID to verify your name and address. To find a complete list of acceptable IDs, please visit the Virginia Department of Elections Voting In-Person website.
• Election Day itself is Tuesday, November 3. Be sure to cast your ballot on or before that day.
• More information is located at our Department of Elections website.

As always, if you need assistance or if you want to schedule a Zoom or phone call with our team, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office. As a reminder, email is the best way to contact us. We can be reached at [email protected].

-- Ghazala