VEBA Overview
Our History
The organizational meeting for the association was held on February 10, 1973, at Holiday Inn #2 in Lynchburg.
The meeting was chaired by Mrs. John Payne, Lynchburg Electoral Board Chair. Officers elected were Mrs. John Payne – President; Millard C. Rappleyea, Sr. – Vice President; Mrs. David Meldrum – Secretary; and Gilmer Jefferson – Treasurer.
It was decided that the organization would be named the Virginia Electoral Board Association rather than the Electoral Board Association of Virginia. The Constitution was adopted, and membership dues were established.
In 1975, Ms. Elvira Shaw was elected Secretary and would serve in that capacity for almost a quarter of a century. In 1984, the first annual meeting was held at the Omni Homestead for training of election officers to promote more uniform elections.
Our Mission
“To facilitate free and fair elections with the highest standard of integrity in Virginia, to promote communications between its members, the General Registrars, the Department of Elections, the State Board of Elections, and elected officials including members of the General Assembly.
The Purpose of Electoral Boards
In each county and city in Virginia, a three-member Electoral Board is responsible for the proper and orderly conduct of all elections held in their locality.
This includes the preparation of ballots, administration of absentee ballot provisions, the conduct of the election, and the ascertaining of the results of the election.
How are Electoral Board Members Appointed?
Each year one member of the Electoral Board is selected for a three-year term by the Circuit Court from a list of recommendations submitted by the local political parties.
Two members on the Electoral Board represent the political party that cast the highest number of votes at the last preceding gubernatorial election. The third member represents the party that received the next highest amount of votes (Va. Code §24.2-106).
The Electoral Board is also responsible for appointing a General Registrar/Director of Elections to a term of four years (Va. Code § 24.2-109).