Gov. Northam removes Lee-Jackson Day as a state holiday, brings early voting to Virginia

Government employees have had Lee-Jackson Day off for the final time.

Gov. Northam announced that among the voting-related bills he signed, House Bill 108 and Senate Bill 601 will make Election Day a state holiday while stripping Lee-Jackson Day of that status, to maintain the same number of state holidays.

The governor also signed House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 111, which allows Virginians to vote 45 days prior to an election without a stated excuse. Currently voters who wish to vote absentee must provide a reason, from an approved list, why they are unable to vote on Election Day.

Here are some of the other bills the governor signed related to expanding access to voting:

• <a href=”https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__r20.rs6.net_tn.jsp-3Ff-3D0016OVvIrMNL71UwUWK8-2Du2rKYqXX2TH-2D8C37uEin31pFMpniFMPd1jofvnB5GsPEhAYOVrddnGKPzXn429HCXDPaGiBxwLF6XNIqcGigXsgAriCgtu4spI5bScLvZoZoWXtV2Kw-5FgqW3qegf1zIKj6L-5FMB3R3C9TvXqO8AqjLwRcdfqV9Pitz8pI6cLqfvgTy3b3mXrhMmo0kebxPZNgjUsqs0p6XTU30k-26c-3DCi4-2DNRzIW0MfHsUdfsEj4xsyGkdKEFdXU9dRHNM-2D0hVKeNARC-5FPOdw-3D-3D-26ch-3DnNusX5-5FbBWk4B32aJXnPLTUXTxXN1A-5FyNsFztfUYBBO-2D1q307-2DfUFA-3D-3D&d=DwMFaQ&c=IdVe9qYOlLvEHvfqFspkfxuOEuSulhj36o8Ug6l7Bq4&r=qknNC0MI8_AZFTbBHt1xLA&m=4cGE5_vUvFXHxhlVRK6EINRUTG8zCnC0ZqP_di9YfAg&s=8d2Wh0HiIiu-bS0cuKTTd_Ho27biA6ViERWo_ia_jJc&e=”>House Bill 19</a> and <a href=”https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__r20.rs6.net_tn.jsp-3Ff-3D0016OVvIrMNL71UwUWK8-2Du2rKYqXX2TH-2D8C37uEin31pFMpniFMPd1jofvnB5GsPEhAwgFig241C9eB5-2DzC0hh2Ix8fFUNC9qzHLBMTkXa8LnuOB2SSe1ud-5F0m6RwDauo0hlZz49wIGF-2DdXJ14LDZp4dlKGMWTUwmikwTnoct6I52FT7QXmjcJ-5F6jQANYVoRnYiuCkRY-2DbH58w-3D-26c-3DCi4-2DNRzIW0MfHsUdfsEj4xsyGkdKEFdXU9dRHNM-2D0hVKeNARC-5FPOdw-3D-3D-26ch-3DnNusX5-5FbBWk4B32aJXnPLTUXTxXN1A-5FyNsFztfUYBBO-2D1q307-2DfUFA-3D-3D&d=DwMFaQ&c=IdVe9qYOlLvEHvfqFspkfxuOEuSulhj36o8Ug6l7Bq4&r=qknNC0MI8_AZFTbBHt1xLA&m=4cGE5_vUvFXHxhlVRK6EINRUTG8zCnC0ZqP_di9YfAg&s=rpV0qU3JAXXjm5lfJN74U1n6lDPn4Ro5AkdYWMlpPqM&e=”>Senate Bill 65</a> remove the requirement that voters show a photo ID before voting&nbsp;
• <a href=”https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__r20.rs6.net_tn.jsp-3Ff-3D0016OVvIrMNL71UwUWK8-2Du2rKYqXX2TH-2D8C37uEin31pFMpniFMPd1jofvnB5GsPEhA7dl8lTYfiE5AuW2-2DYRFEM4jtyov42hZZoByG6-5Fsyf-2D2t3ItgXeMbvEwYUxzK3E4uceRjw-2DOUz9s3bTzoW0NRk86uCWZRxppPcn-5FCJtJQch3NOzmzNt8CGjVSyFJhCGXo4FTQHE-5FVz5fDaWL9a8ch8mNwAhCayZQ4-26c-3DCi4-2DNRzIW0MfHsUdfsEj4xsyGkdKEFdXU9dRHNM-2D0hVKeNARC-5FPOdw-3D-3D-26ch-3DnNusX5-5FbBWk4B32aJXnPLTUXTxXN1A-5FyNsFztfUYBBO-2D1q307-2DfUFA-3D-3D&d=DwMFaQ&c=IdVe9qYOlLvEHvfqFspkfxuOEuSulhj36o8Ug6l7Bq4&r=qknNC0MI8_AZFTbBHt1xLA&m=4cGE5_vUvFXHxhlVRK6EINRUTG8zCnC0ZqP_di9YfAg&s=G0j7ts7uIXSwgpabAD3RCsh2ryqyi4HRSbbNOl6jUxs&e=”>House Bill 235</a> and <a href=”https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__r20.rs6.net_tn.jsp-3Ff-3D0016OVvIrMNL71UwUWK8-2Du2rKYqXX2TH-2D8C37uEin31pFMpniFMPd1jofvnB5GsPEhA8Yf8gbdgJwWf1wTct8BMHzByZlFeVGIRjn5P752DtIYk2SrpZzfQ1Nh9idkR4NSsQoT8uEsL5S5wFr8Su1pzLxr67HSB5khts7VFetpmAoPnB6wDeJnF3pmYiKPGC4ZQY9QrpGLJCpE-3D-26c-3DCi4-2DNRzIW0MfHsUdfsEj4xsyGkdKEFdXU9dRHNM-2D0hVKeNARC-5FPOdw-3D-3D-26ch-3DnNusX5-5FbBWk4B32aJXnPLTUXTxXN1A-5FyNsFztfUYBBO-2D1q307-2DfUFA-3D-3D&d=DwMFaQ&c=IdVe9qYOlLvEHvfqFspkfxuOEuSulhj36o8Ug6l7Bq4&r=qknNC0MI8_AZFTbBHt1xLA&m=4cGE5_vUvFXHxhlVRK6EINRUTG8zCnC0ZqP_di9YfAg&s=k5Pzlw6kyDhJGC-vS1W5iNitimcmYZTRadDR4XFgcLM&e=”>Senate Bill 219</a> implement automatic voter registration for those accessing service at a Department of Motor Vehicles office or the DMV website.
• <a href=”https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__r20.rs6.net_tn.jsp-3Ff-3D0016OVvIrMNL71UwUWK8-2Du2rKYqXX2TH-2D8C37uEin31pFMpniFMPd1jofvnB5GsPEhABoiGTlMrQOVPkILXkiS84DtmG7JQUUzkrUUHABOvLg5nmv4mlDQB-5FUnCffg4IMOQz7Is60kscJ7gG-2DKzle-2D0ZATWgmF3AX-5Fc5QwkBe6SsFjw3q5gb5EZMsrS4pwSUW5wlScSreSVIR-5Fonqw1OnutKTxL9ehHutgn-26c-3DCi4-2DNRzIW0MfHsUdfsEj4xsyGkdKEFdXU9dRHNM-2D0hVKeNARC-5FPOdw-3D-3D-26ch-3DnNusX5-5FbBWk4B32aJXnPLTUXTxXN1A-5FyNsFztfUYBBO-2D1q307-2DfUFA-3D-3D&d=DwMFaQ&c=IdVe9qYOlLvEHvfqFspkfxuOEuSulhj36o8Ug6l7Bq4&r=qknNC0MI8_AZFTbBHt1xLA&m=4cGE5_vUvFXHxhlVRK6EINRUTG8zCnC0ZqP_di9YfAg&s=-ucs7BZ08uxT13244Q8HTBye2dv1t9_1cdjttrP8ZeI&e=”>House Bill 238</a>, <a href=”https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__r20.rs6.net_tn.jsp-3Ff-3D0016OVvIrMNL71UwUWK8-2Du2rKYqXX2TH-2D8C37uEin31pFMpniFMPd1jofvnB5GsPEhAjS83TYCgbVZbD9B2SuPV-5FamV2n0MTTlHuUFAprL8OHCbzhEO8ZRRbTfqz0zk2SlBdHbWXPeaPBVyBtc8nFx0AE-5FfH2wwtzrs-2D3ERxfun5dskvM69F2lOBay-5FxbtuSftXbor-2DVMYdJpBDDBGoWibYg5omslqCApog-26c-3DCi4-2DNRzIW0MfHsUdfsEj4xsyGkdKEFdXU9dRHNM-2D0hVKeNARC-5FPOdw-3D-3D-26ch-3DnNusX5-5FbBWk4B32aJXnPLTUXTxXN1A-5FyNsFztfUYBBO-2D1q307-2DfUFA-3D-3D&d=DwMFaQ&c=IdVe9qYOlLvEHvfqFspkfxuOEuSulhj36o8Ug6l7Bq4&r=qknNC0MI8_AZFTbBHt1xLA&m=4cGE5_vUvFXHxhlVRK6EINRUTG8zCnC0ZqP_di9YfAg&s=_1H5Jiccjk-obqkCUa3MI8yicEBLUwEOyXFsEp5RoRY&e=”>House Bill 239</a> and <a href=”https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__r20.rs6.net_tn.jsp-3Ff-3D0016OVvIrMNL71UwUWK8-2Du2rKYqXX2TH-2D8C37uEin31pFMpniFMPd1jofvnB5GsPEhATfbLQKQLc98oIKai97KvHQW1BjCEIVXo-5FU-5FufgaUu25IFRPNIIc1cF1fYrcgaeFrpByDs6-5F7a9a9pfh8DiufDagTRIUzdqCECjKiDFf0tOv-2DU0HN7Ma7GsgKvoP-5FOaBTLwPZrp5TXYQ-3D-26c-3DCi4-2DNRzIW0MfHsUdfsEj4xsyGkdKEFdXU9dRHNM-2D0hVKeNARC-5FPOdw-3D-3D-26ch-3DnNusX5-5FbBWk4B32aJXnPLTUXTxXN1A-5FyNsFztfUYBBO-2D1q307-2DfUFA-3D-3D&d=DwMFaQ&c=IdVe9qYOlLvEHvfqFspkfxuOEuSulhj36o8Ug6l7Bq4&r=qknNC0MI8_AZFTbBHt1xLA&m=4cGE5_vUvFXHxhlVRK6EINRUTG8zCnC0ZqP_di9YfAg&s=nZLGA7QgmZ9GXlrJ0uT2wR6imVzHMgFNu2p9_6vrLNU&e=”>Senate Bill 455</a> expand absentee voting timelines
• <a href=”https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__r20.rs6.net_tn.jsp-3Ff-3D0016OVvIrMNL71UwUWK8-2Du2rKYqXX2TH-2D8C37uEin31pFMpniFMPd1jofvnB5GsPEhAcRcfrKKN1gThIMYVHWxNvk9OipRcaEUJQDtZLzowMTcYzRVKECffqIe-2DSnCyIpi2heNij3rAQ37kbOvzLHHOuZ4CBwGKM6XJQy14dWNFq4S2e83DlQoWVnOmLYZhq-5FlMTKOICSXnmEhFBpxd3VnBs46GHz-5FP1O5e-26c-3DCi4-2DNRzIW0MfHsUdfsEj4xsyGkdKEFdXU9dRHNM-2D0hVKeNARC-5FPOdw-3D-3D-26ch-3DnNusX5-5FbBWk4B32aJXnPLTUXTxXN1A-5FyNsFztfUYBBO-2D1q307-2DfUFA-3D-3D&d=DwMFaQ&c=IdVe9qYOlLvEHvfqFspkfxuOEuSulhj36o8Ug6l7Bq4&r=qknNC0MI8_AZFTbBHt1xLA&m=4cGE5_vUvFXHxhlVRK6EINRUTG8zCnC0ZqP_di9YfAg&s=9Ax9ZjkSnt58dshIezqmW4IBiDfpFjZqqE-IIgfLBqw&e=”>House Bill 1678</a> extend in-person polling hours from to 8:00 p.m. across Virginia

Source: WSLS News 10