Va. Voters Sue to Lift Witness Signature Requirement for Absentee Ballots During COVID-19 Crisis

LYNCHBURG, Va. — A group of Virginia voters are seeking a court order that a witness signature is not required on mail-in absentee ballots, arguing that individuals who live alone, especially those who are elderly, cannot safely meet that requirement during the COVID-19 quarantine.

In a March 26 complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, the League of Women Voters maintains that the state’s election law forces voters to choose between exposing themselves to a severe risk to their health and exercising their constitutionally protected right to vote.

In order to reduce the spread …