VIRGINIA 2016 VOTER GUIDE A YALLA VOTE 2016 STATE VOTER GUIDE www.aaiusa.org
2016 AAI virginia Voter Guide OVERVIEW Virginians this November will be voting for the President of the United States, seats in the House of Representatives and other local races. The Arab American community in Virginia is diverse and growing. The commonwealth is home to the eleventh largest population of Arab Americans in the country. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, between 2000 and 2014, the number of Virginians with Arabic-speaking ancestry grew by 90%. Arab Americans in Virginia reside in 101 of the 133 counties in the state, with the greatest number living in Fairfax County. The largest component of the Arab American community in the state has Lebanese or Egyptian roots. Since 2005, significant increases appear in the number of Virginians who are of Iraqi or Jordanian descent. In 2010, Virginia legislators redrew congressional lines in accordance with the 2010 U.S. Census. Three Republican Congressmen -- Rep. Randy Forbes, Rep. Rob Wittman, Rep. David Bratt -- challenged the redistricting plan in the case of Wittman v. Personhuballah. In May of 2016, the Supreme Court ruled that Forbes, Wittman, and Bratt lacked the standing to bring their case because neither of the Congressmen would be directly affected in primary elections. Following the ruling, Rep. Forbes decided to run in the Republican primary of Virginia s 2nd District instead of the district he currently represents, Virginia s 4th. The 2010 redistricting plan included more African American voters in District 4. According to Justice Stephen Breyer, Rep. arab american DEMOGRAPHICS AAI ESTIMATE 169,587 state rank 11 Arab Americans in Virginia reside in 101 of the 133 counties in the state. Forbes seat transformed from a safe seat to into a seat he s probably going to lose. In Virginia s June 14th primary, Rep. Forbes indeed ended up losing his seat and his candidacy for Congress in Virginia s 2nd District to Republican Scott Taylor. The November ballot for Virginia s 2nd District will include Taylor and Democrat Shaun Brown. Forbes current seat will be contested by Republican Mike Wade and Democrat Donald McEachin. Virginians will not have to vote in any gubernatorial or senatorial races this election year. The next gubernatorial election will be in 2017. Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe will not be eligible for reelection, as Virginia is the only state that does not allow governors to run for consecutive terms. Democratic Senator Timothy Kaine, who will otherwise be up for reelection in 2018, was selected as the Democratic Vice Presidential running mate by Hillary Clinton. Democratic Senator Mark Warner will be up for reelection in 2020. population by county (2013) Fairfax County 29,611 Prince William County 4,542 Alexandria City 4,224 Henrico County 4,192 Loudon County 4,069 *Research by AAI and Zogby International suggest that the number above is likely significantly lower than the actual number o f Arab Americans in the state. The American Community Survey identifies only a portion of the Arab population through a question on ancestry. Reasons for the undercount include the placement of and limit of the ancestry question (as distinct from race and ethnicity); the effect of the sample methodology o n small, unevenly distributed ethnic groups; high levels of out-marriage among the third and fourth generations; and distrust/misunderstanding of government surveys among recent immigrants. Sources: American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates(2014), American Community Survey 5-Year estimates (2010), 2000 US Census U.S. Census Bureau; Yearbook of Immigration Statistics 2010-2014 Office of Immigration Statistics, Department of Homeland Security
general ELECTIONS General Election Tuesday, November 8, 2016 Polls OPEN at 6 AM and CLOSE at 7 PM Virginia State Board of Elections 1100 Bank Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 E-mail: info@sbe.virginia.gov Toll free: (800) 552-9745 Local: (804) 864-8901 www.elections.virginia.gov DEADLINES Voter Registration: October 17, 2016 Absentee Application: November 1, 2016 Absentee Ballot: November 8, 2016 REGISTER TO VOTE The Virginia voter registration application is available online or at any of the following locations: Local voter registration office Government disability officer Armed forces recruitment office Public library Virginia Department of Elections office Department of Motor Vehicle office Voter Registration drives In-Person In-person voter registration application must be handdelivered to your local official registration office. The registration office will accept registration applications up until closing time the last day of registration, 5:00 PM on Monday, October 17, 2016. Online Virginians also have the choice of registering to vote online at the Virginia Department of Elections website. On the same site, voters may update their address, apply to vote absentee, and view any other election-related information. By Mail The Virginia voter registration application is available online to be printed and completed. An application for voter registration may be mailed via the U.S. postal service to your local official registration office. The application must be postmarked no later than the last day of registration, October 17, 2016. All applications postmarked and/or received after the date will be processed after the election. absentee voting Virginia voters are eligible to vote absentee in an election given they provide reasoning as to why they cannot make it to the polls on Election Day. You can contact your local Voter Registration Office to request an absentee ballot application, or download and complete the Absentee Ballot Application form online. The signed and completed application must be received by 5:00 PM on Tuesday, November 1, 2016. After receiving your absentee ballot in the mail, you must return the ballot to your local registrar office by 7:00 PM on Election Day. The application may also be picked up in-person at your local registrar s office. To fill out the application in-person, you must have a photo ID present. Upon completion of the application, you will be able to vote absentee using a voting machine in the registrar office the same day. You may vote absentee in Virginia if you are: Going to be away from your county on Election Day and during early voting Pregnant Sick, disabled, or personally responsible for the care of a disabled or ill family member Unable to vote on Election Day due to a religious obligation An authorized representative of a candidate or party serving inside the polling place Confined and awaiting trial EARLY VOTING The state of Virginia does not offer early voting as a choice for casting a ballot.
voter id requirements Virginia law requires all voters to provide an acceptable form of photo ID upon arrival to their polling place. Acceptable forms of ID may be used up to a year after expiration. Any voter who does not bring an approved form of photo identification to the polls will be offered a provisional ballot. For the provisional ballot to be counted, the voter will have until noon on the Friday after the election to deliver a copy of identification to their locality s electoral board via mail, fax, email, or inperson. Acceptable forms of identification include: Virginia voter identification card Valid Virginia driver s license Valid United States passport Valid Virginia Veteran s ID card Any federal, state or local government-issued ID card Tribal enrollment or any other tribal ID recognized by the state of Virginia Employer issued photo ID card Valid college or university student photo ID card (must be issued by an institution of higher education in located in Virginia) Beginning July 1, 2014, Virginia law requires voters to show an acceptable form of photo identification before casting their votes. Voters may no longer provide a utility bill, pay stub, bank statement, government check, or Social Security card as proof of identification. Virginia residents who do not already possess some form of the accepted identification listed above can be provided a photo ID by their local registrar free of charge. Voters applying for the Virginia Voter Photo ID Card must complete the Virginia Voter Photo Identification Card Application, available at any general registrar s office. Once the application is processed, the card will be mailed directly to the voter. *On August 22, 2016, Governor McAuliffe announced the process he will use moving forward to restore voting rights to individuals. Individuals seeking restoration should contact the Secretary of the Commonwealth. REGISTRATION FOR GROUPS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS The following accommodations are available to increase ballot accessibility for all voters: Voters who require assistance due to disability or an inability to write or read the ballot may be assisted by a person of their choice. Voters may NOT be assisted by their employer, an agent of their employer, or by an officer or agent of their union. The person assisting the elector may accompany the elector into the voting booth. If you are 65 or older or physically unable to enter the polling place, you may ask that an election officer bring a ballot to you at the entrance of the polling place or to your car at the curbside. After you mark the ballot, give it to the election officer to put in the ballot box, or hand it to a companion to deposit in the ballot box for you. For individuals with vision impairments the State Board of Elections provides large print copies of all voting related material. The local Registrar s Office should have large print versions of all materials. CONVICTED FELONS Individuals who lose the right to vote as a result of a felony conviction in a Virginia court or a U.S. District court must have their rights restored to qualify for voter registration. Persons convicted of a violent crime, a crime against a minor, or an election law offense must submit an application to request their rights be restored. Persons with any other felony conviction are automatically eligible for restoration of rights given that they have (1) completed their prison sentence (2) have been released from probation or parole (3) paid all court costs and fines (4) satisfied all court ordered conditions (5) have no pending felony charges.*
campaigning & the polls On the day of any primary, referendum or election, no person shall solicit on behalf of or in opposition to the candidacy of another or himself or on behalf of or in opposition to any question being submitted at the election or referendum within a radius of 40 feet of any outside entrance in use as an entry to any polling place or in any corridor, passageway or other approach leading from any such outside entrance to such polling place or in any room opening upon any such corridor, passageway or approach, except as provided in section. The selectmen shall provide suitable markers to indicate the 40 foot distance from such entrance. poll watchers Any citizen may go to a polling place and observe. The poll watcher watches to see if any violations of the election laws occur. If such a violation occurs, the poll watcher is to inform the election board of the violation. The election board consists of the poll workers. Uniformed law enforcement officers are not allowed to be poll watchers. Poll watchers are responsible for supplying any necessities or materials needed while at the polls, i.e. chairs, tables, writing materials, etc. They cannot use the poll workers supplies. 3. If the poll watcher observes what he thinks might be a violation, he/she may question a voter s privilege by stating his/her case to the election board. Remember, the election board consists of the poll workers at that precinct. 4. The poll watcher may observe the closing procedures when the polls close. A poll watcher is not allowed to talk to any person in the polling place except when questioning a procedure. No poll watcher may wear anything advertising a candidacy or promoting for or against an issue. Poll watchers are official observers only. They may observe the conduct of the election before, during and after the polls close. The election board is the sole authority in the polling place on Election Day. No person, except the board, may handle or touch election supplies and materials. If the poll watcher feels that a violation has taken place during an election, the poll watcher must notify the election board. Electioneering, campaigning or solicitation within 100 feet of the entrance to the polling room is prohibited. The poll watcher may not interfere with or impede the conduct of any election. He/she should come no closer to the official table or the voting booths than is reasonably necessary. Unless there is an observation of questionable nature, the poll watcher is not permitted to speak to the election board or voter. Things poll watchers may do: 1. The first poll watcher of the Election Day has the right to see that the ballot box is empty before the first ballot is cast. 2. A poll watcher may observe the distribution of the ballot to the voter and after the voter has voted the depositing of ballot into the ballot box.
2016 presidential & vice presidentialcandidates Democratic Presidential Hillary Clinton, a graduate of Yale Law School, began her career working for the Children s Defense Fund, and later acting as an advisor to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee during the Watergate scandal. She served as First Lady of Arkansas from 1979 to 1992, during which she became a partner at Rose Law Firm and led several business ventures. In 1993, Hillary Clinton became First Lady of the United States when Bill Clinton was elected as President. As First Lady, she chaired the Task Force on National Healthcare Reform. In 2000, Clinton was elected to the U.S. Senate from New York, where she served two terms. During her time in the Senate, Clinton served on the Committee on Budget, Armed Services, Environment and Public Works, Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and Special Committee on Aging. Additionally, she was a member of the Committee on Security and Cooperation in Europe. In the 2008 Presidential election she ran unsuccessfully against President Barack Obama. President Obama appointed Clinton U.S. Secretary of State, where she served from 2009 to 2013. She announced her campaign for the 2016 Democratic nomination on Twitter in April 2015. Hillary for America www.hillaryclinton.com Hillary for America Post Office Box 5256 New York, NY 10185-5256 P: (646) 854-1432 Democratic Vice Presidential Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) graduated from the University of Missouri, and earned a law degree from Harvard Law School during which he interrupted his studies to work for nine months at a Jesuit mission in Honduras. Upon completion of Harvard Law, Kaine entered private practice and became a lecturer at the University of Richmond School of Law. He was first elected to public office in 1994, when he won a seat on the Richmond, Virginia City Council. He was then elected Mayor of Richmond in 1998, serving in that position until 2001 when he was elected Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. Kaine was elected Governor of Virginia in 2005, serving until 2010. He served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011, and then decided to run for the vacant U.S. Senate seat, an election he won. Senator Kaine is presently serving in the Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senate Budget Committee, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and the Special Committee on Aging. Senator Kaine was selected by Hillary Clinton as her Vice Presidential running mate on July 22nd. On July 27, 2016 Senator Kaine officially accepted the Democratic nomination.
Republican Presidential Donald Trump is a real estate mogul and television personality best known for the eponymous Trump Organization and his reality TV program The Apprentice. Born and raised in New York City, Trump earned his bachelor s degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania s Wharton School in 1968. In 1973, Trump inherited his father s real estate and construction firm, and renamed it The Trump Organization. Trump is a politically active member of the Tea Party movement and had discussed the idea of running for President of the United States in five previous election cycles. In June 2015, Trump announced his campaign for the 2016 Republican nomination in front of Trump Tower in New York City. Trump officially accepted the Republican National Committee s nomination for President at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Donald J. Trump for President www.donaldjtrump.com Donald J. Trump President, Inc C/O Trump Tower 725 5th Avenue New York, NY 10022 P: (646) 736-1779 Republican Vice Presidential Following graduation from law school, Governor Mike Pence unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 1988 and 1990, losing both times to Democratic incumbent Phil Sharp. In 1991, Pence was named President of the Indiana Policy Review Foundation, a conservative think tank based in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Pence was elected to Congress in November 2000 and served for six terms. In November 2008, his fellow GOP members elected him to serve as Chairman of the House Republican Conference. During his tenure in Congress, Pence served on multiple House committees including, Agriculture, Judiciary, Small Business, and Foreign Affairs. In May 2011, Pence announced that he would not run for re-election in Congress, and instead successfully ran for Governor of Indiana in the 2012 election. As Governor, Pence made national headlines when he signed Indiana s controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law. This action brought about widespread criticism alleging that the bill would permit discrimination against the LGBTQ community. On July 15, 2016, Donald Trump announced that he had selected Pence as his Vice Presidential running mate in the 2016 Presidential election.
VIRGINIA state directory Virginia State Democratic Party Chair: Susan Swecker 919 East Main Street, Ste 2050 Richmond, VA 23219 P: (804) 644-1966 www.vademocrats.org info@vademocrats.org Virginia State Republican Party Chair: John C. Whitbeck 115 E. Grace St. Richmond, Virginia 23219 P: (804) 780-0111 www.rpv.org info@rpv.org 2016 u.s. house of representatives candidates U.S. House, VA 1st District Robert Wittman (R) P.O. Box 999 Montross, VA 22520 P: (804) 493-0508 www.robwittman.com Matt Rowe (D) P.O. Box 922 Bowling Green, VA 22427 www.mattrowe.org U.S. House, VA 2nd District Scott Taylor (R) P.O. Box 66528 Virginia Beach, VA P: (757) 705-4113 www.scotttaylor.us Shaun Brown (D) www.shaunbrownforcongress.com U.S. House, VA 3rd District Robert Bobby Scott (D) P.O. Box 251 Newport News, VA 23607 P: (757) 245-2000 www.bobbyscottforcongress.com Marty Williams (R) www.martywilliamscongress.com U.S. House, VA 4th District Mike Wade (R) P.O. Box 71448 Henrico, VA 23255 www.sheriffmikewade.com Donald McEachin (D) P.O. Box 8092 Richmond, VA 23223 www.mceachinforcongress.com
U.S. House, VA 5th District Jane Dittmar (D) P.O. Box 974 Charlottesville, VA 22902 P: (202) 225-4711 www.janeforcongress.com Tom Garrett (R) P.O. Box 209 Ruckersville, VA 22968 www.tomgarrettforcongress.com U.S. House, VA 6th District Bob Goodlatte (R) P.O. Box 292 Roanoke, VA 24002 www.bobgoodlatte.com Kai Degner (D) P.O. Box 1203 Harrisonburg, VA 22803 www.kaiforcongress.com U.S. House, VA 7th District Dave Brat (R) P.O. Box 5094 Glen Allen, VA 23058 www.davebrat.com Eileen Bedell (D) 2315 East Broad St. Richmond, VA 23223 www.bedellforvirginia.com U.S. House, VA 8th District Don Beyer (D) 2503-D N. Harrison St. Box # 310 Arlington, VA 22207 www.friendsofdonbeyer.com Charles Hernick (R) P.O. Box 25324 Arlington, VA 22202 www.charleshernick.com U.S. House, VA 9th District Morgan Griffith (R) P.O. Box 361 Christiansburg, VA 24068 www.morgangriffithforcongress.com Derek Kitts (R) 100 E Roanoke St. Blacksburg, VA P: (504) 449-8683 www.kittsforcongress.com
U.S. House, VA 10th District Barbara Comstock (R) P.O. Box 831 McLean, VA 22101 www.barbaracomstockforcongress.com LuAnn Bennett (D) P.O. Box 446 McLean, VA 22101 www.luannforcongress.com U.S. House, VA 11th District Gerald Connolly (D) P.O. Box 563 Merrifield, VA 22116 www.gerryconnolly.com John Wolfe (R) Contact information unavailable
This is the second-most-important form you ll fill out this fall. Your ballot is the first. Please vote. But also, please consider our future beyond Nov. 8. Yes, we want your contributions - your donations, your activism. But really, we just want you. If your only political actions this fall are to vote and to update your contact information with AAI, you are making a big investment in the future of the Arab American community. When we reach more people, then, over time, our strength as a political constituency grows. In the 30 years since AAI s founding, our community has found a place in national politics that used to be just a dream. I m already an AAI member, but I want: Update my contact information Promise that I ll vote Nov. 8 Make a donation to our #YallaVote campaign I want to join! My information is below, or I ll visit aaiusa.org and join online. Please add my name to your email list, so I can get weekly political news updates, action alerts, and event notices. I ll visit your website for more information about joing AAI. Don t want to join right now - but I DO want to be part of our community s future. Here s my contact information, and I ll hear from you down the road. Name Email Address City State/ZIP Phone I want to join AAI or make a donation. My check is enclosed. Please charge my Mastercard/Visa Name on card Card no. Exp. date Signature Send back this form. Together, let s see how much we can grow in the next thirty years.
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