Virginia Department of Elections

Virginia Midterms are Over, but Legal Case on Forged Signatures in 2nd Congressional District Continues On

Election Law Society · March 27, 2019 ·

By: Chelsea West

Elaine Luria, a Democrat, has defeated Republican Congressman Scott W. Taylor in Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District. Luria captured 51.1 percent of the vote, followed by Taylor with 48.9 percent. Taylor has represented the district in the House since 2017.

Despite the race being over, a legal case against Taylor’s campaign looms large. A public news station in Norfolk, Va. first reported in August 2018 that Taylor’s campaign was engaging in the underhanded practice of helping a rival qualify for the ballot to split potential opposition votes. According to documents filed with the FEC and the Virginia Department of Elections, workers on Taylor’s campaign collected hundreds of signatures to put an independent candidate in Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District election.

Virginia’s “Right-to-Work” Amendment: Nothing Has Changed

Election Law Society · February 3, 2017 ·

By: Kelsey Dolin

On November 8th, 2016, Virginians not only cast their ballots for the next president and other elected officials, but also lent their voices to two proposed amendments to the Virginia Constitution. Voters decided against a right-to-work amendment and approved an amendment exempting the spouses of first responders killed in the line of duty from property taxes.

William & Mary Law Alumna Elizabeth Howard ‘09 Appointed as Deputy Commissioner for the Virginia Department of Elections

Election Law Society · January 17, 2015 ·

WILLIAMSBURG, VA – The Law School is honored to report that Governor Terry McAuliffe has appointed 2009 William & Mary Law alumna Elizabeth Howard J.D. ‘09 as Deputy Commissioner for the Virginia Department of Elections in Richmond. Prior to this appointment, Howard worked as General Counsel at Rock the Vote, a non-profit organization dedicated to engaging young people in politics. Before Rock the Vote, Howard worked as a Senior Associate at Sandler Reiff in Washington, DC, where she specialized in election law working tirelessly, for example, on the recount team for Mark Herring for Attorney General and earlier on the recount team for Lynwood Lewis whose state Senate special election decided control of the Virginia State Senate.

As a student at William & Mary Law School, Howard co-founded the Election Law Society in 2006, a thriving student group that organizes numerous events at the law school on politics and election law, including its annual Election Law Symposium. As a professional, Howard remains involved with the Election Law Society and generous mentor to many William & Mary Election Law Society students and recent grads. In 2014, Howard received the Society’s Alumnus of the Year Award for her work in the field and dedication to forwarding the interests of the Election Law Society.