PRESS RELEASE: LCDC Condemns Electoral Board’s Decision to End Sunday Voting, Disenfranchising Hundreds

January 14, 2023

Leesburg, VA – Loudoun County’s two-year pilot program aimed at expanding democracy came to an abrupt halt this week, when the newly reconstituted, Republican-dominated, county Election Board eliminated “Sunday Voting”.

The Loudoun County Democratic Committee, a leader in championing Sunday Voting on behalf of hundreds of voters who have no other time available to cast their ballot, condemns the Electoral Board’s decision.

Nationally, Republicans’ voter suppression efforts have made clear their disdain for allowing every eligible person to exercise their franchise. Thus, it could have been predicted that the Electoral Board would take the opportunity at their very first meeting of the new year to end Sunday Voting, one of the few procedures under county control.

The Electoral Board is a three-member panel whose majority alternates depending on the current governor’s party affiliation. As of Jan. 1, 2022, Republicans gained the majority.

The reasons stated for ending Sunday Voting and potentially disenfranchising hundreds is that 1) the board of election staff are overworked and, 2) the Sunday voting turnout was “too low” to justify the single Sunday (in late October) each year when a single polling place (Leesburg) is open for five hours (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

The Board didn’t reveal the actual numbers that were “too low.” In fact, according to their own data, in 2021, there were 693 Sunday voters, the 8th highest turnout in the preceding 27 days of early voting. In 2022, 387 Sunday voters turned out, 10th highest out of the preceding 20 days. And keep in mind Sunday Voting hours ran about half as long as any other early voting day.

It seems the Electoral Board could have found a more reasonable way to relieve an overworked staff while continuing to deliver on a bedrock American principle of one-person, one-vote.