VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – The Virginia Beach Voter Registration & Elections office is warning residents of a potential voter registration scam that recently surfaced in other states that involves scammers calling residents impersonating an organization that provides voter registration assistance. The callers offer to register residents to vote or request an absentee ballot over the phone.
“We encourage anyone in Virginia Beach who has questions about their voter registration to call our office or visit the Department of Elections website at www.vote.virginia.gov,” said Donna Patterson, the City’s director of elections and general registrar. “The City of Virginia Beach Voter Registration & Elections office will never call residents offering to register or send absentee ballots based solely on a phone conversation. In Virginia, voters cannot be registered to vote by phone. Voter registration and requesting an absentee ballot can be completed online, in person or by mail.”
Residents should always be cautious about providing personal information over the phone. If provided, this information could be used to attempt fraudulent voter registration or conduct financially motivated identity theft.
As a reminder, to be eligible to vote on Tuesday, Nov. 6, those not registered, or any registered voter who needs to make a change to their registration address or name, must submit a voter registration application no later than Monday by close of business. Mailed applications must also be postmarked on or before Monday.
In-person registration can be completed at the Voter Registration & Elections office, all Virginia Beach Public Library locations and Virginia Beach Department of Motor Vehicles Offices (in conjunction with DMV transactions) during normal hours of operation. Online voter registration is available on the Department of Elections website.
Absentee ballot applications must be received by mail, email, fax, or online by 5 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 30. The voted ballot must be received in the Voter Registration & Elections office by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 6.
Saturday, Nov. 3, by 5 p.m. is the last day for absentee voting in-person.
To report a potential voter registration scam, contact the Voter Registration & Elections office at (757) 385-8683 or by email at voter@vbgov.com. For more information about voting in Virginia Beach, visitwww.vbgov.com/voter.
