Chair:
Roberta Oliver (Thacker-Oliver)

Vice Chair:
Annette Hyde

Secretary:
Samantha Lichtford

Treasurer:
Tony Reynolds

Vice Chair of Elections & Training:
Chris Burton

Vice Chair of Membership:
Kris Nelson

Vice Chair of Development & Fundraising:
Dustin Keith

Vice Chair of Labor:
Chuck Simpson

Vice Chair of Community Engagement:
Jessica Reynolds

Vice Chair of Policy & Communication:
Jacob Cooke

The post 2025 Rural Caucus Officer Election appeared first on Democratic Party of Virginia.

● Richmond High School for the Arts – 4314 Crutchfield St. Richmond, VA 23235
● Providence Middle School – 900 Starlight Ln. Chesterfield, VA 23234

Any registered voter in Virginia House of Delegates District 77 who meets the
participation requirements outlined in the call to caucus will be eligible to vote at any of the caucus voting locations.

The following provisions shall govern the caucus:
I. Candidate Filing Requirements:
A. Candidate filing format. Each person seeking to become the Democratic Party Nominee for Virginia House of Delegates District 77 shall file with Nicholas Scott, Chair of Virginia House of Delegates District 77 Nominating Committee (nscottrva@gmail.com), or his designee:

1. HD77 Candidate Declaration of Candidacy;
2. a candidate filing fee of $2,500
   Declaration of candidacy forms and petition of qualified voter forms are published on the DPVA, Richmond City Democratic Committee, and Chesterfield County Democratic Committee websites and by request from the Chair.

B. Mandatory fee. A filing fee of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) made payable to the Richmond City Democratic Committee with the candidate filing materials. The filing fee shall be paid by check.
C. Deadline and means of filing. Candidate Filings must be returned to the Chair or the Chair’s designated representative between Thursday, December 11, at 9 AM and Friday, December 12, at 9 AM. A candidate whose Filing contains errors or omissions may supplement or amend the filing any time before the deadline; however, the filing will not be considered properly filed until the Chair so certifies. Candidates may file through a designated agent, but such action in no way alters the responsibility of the candidate nor extends the deadline for receipt. The Chair or the Chair’s designated representative must personally receive the Filing for it to be valid. A candidate or candidate representative may contact the Chair at nscottrva@gmail.com to make arrangements to transmit their Filings. The Chair will take reasonable steps to ensure that candidates or their agents can easily locate and transmit their Filings to
the Chair or the Chair’s designated representative. The Chair or the Chair’s designated representative will confirm acceptance of a candidate Filing with a written receipt. Once a candidate Filing is reviewed and determined to be properly filed, the Chair will make reasonable attempts to notify the candidate by contacting the phone number and email listed on the candidate’s declaration of candidacy form.

D. Ballot order. Candidates will be listed on the ballot in the order that they properly filed — with the first complete and properly filed candidate listed first on the ballot. In cases of simultaneous filing by multiple candidates, ballot order will be determined by a coin toss. This coin toss will take place at the time of the simultaneous filing.
E. Disqualification as a candidate. Only those candidates who have properly filed by 9AM on December 12, will be listed on the caucus ballot and be eligible for the Democratic nomination. In the event a candidate is declared ineligible, the caucus process will proceed without that candidate.
F. No contest. If only one person files properly to be a candidate for the Democratic nominee, the Chair may cancel the caucus and declare the properly filed candidate the Democratic Party nominee.
G. Insufficient candidates. In the event that no candidates have made a valid filing by the December 12 at 9AM deadline, the Caucus will be canceled. In the event that no candidate has made a valid filing, the 77th House of Delegates District Nominating Committee will have the sole power to determine when and/or whether to nominate a Democratic Candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates District 77.

II. Caucus Officers, Officials, and Other Authorized Persons and Activities
A. Caucus officials appointments. The Chair of the Virginia House of Delegates District 77 Committee shall appoint all Caucus officers described in Rule II-B and such other Officers of the Caucus as is deemed appropriate.

B. Officers of the Caucus

1. Nominating Committee
2. Director (one at each voting location)
3. Sergeant-at-Arms (one at each voting location)
4. Head Teller
5. Credentials Officers (at least two at each voting location)
6. Members of the Tellers Committee (at least one at each voting
   location)

C. Conduct of Caucus officials. All Caucus officials must wear official Caucus credentials while performing their duties at the Caucus. No Caucus official may engage in partisan activity (i.e., activity supporting or opposing a particular candidate) while performing the duties of a Caucus official, or while wearing credentials as a Caucus official.
D. Campaign poll watchers. Each candidate (or campaign) may designate one poll watcher per voting location. At any time, but with the permission of the Director or the Director’s designee, a campaign may “swap out” an individual serving as a poll watcher for another such individual. Each poll watcher must wear credentials identifying them as such. No person will be allowed to serve as a poll watcher and a Caucus official at the same time. No individual may engage in partisan activity while performing the duties of a poll watcher, or while wearing official credentials. No poll watcher may initiate a conversation with any participant (although he or she may assist a participant who requests it by directing the participant to a Caucus official) without the permission of the Director, nor may a poll watcher interfere with the privacy of individual voters casting ballots. Poll watchers may observe all aspects of the election, including the setting up of the Caucus site.
E. Media. Representatives from the press and other media outlets must be issued credentials as observers before or upon entering the voting room. Those issued credentials must not interfere with the voting process or the privacy of individual voters.
F. Neutrality. In accordance with Section 10.11 of the Democratic Party Plan certain party officials may not endorse. Additionally, the following caucus officers may not publicly endorse or support any candidate seeking the Democratic nomination for Virginia House of Delegates District 77:

1. Nominating Committee Members
2. Directors
3. Tellers

III. Caucus Procedures
A. Ballot box preparation. No more than 1 hour before the start of the Caucus, the Director at each location, in the presence of any candidate (or designated candidate representative) who wishes to observe, shall open a ballot box to ensure that it is empty and seal the boxes in a manner that makes it impractical to open without evidence of tampering. During the course of the Caucus, if a subsequent ballot box is required, it will be opened, inspected and then sealed using the same procedure, with notice
to any candidate (or representative) who is present and may wish to observe.
B. Commencement of the Caucus. At 10am on Sunday, December 14, the Director at each location will declare that the Caucus has begun; no participant may enter the Caucus area before that time. The vote will be held from 10am until the last person in line to vote at 6pm has cast their ballot.
C. Sealing and storage of the ballot box. After the last eligible person has voted on Sunday, December 14, the Director at each location, in the presence of any candidate (or designated candidate representative) who wishes to observe, shall seal their respective ballot box. The Directors will deliver the secured ballot boxes to the Virginia House of Delegates District 77 Chair at Democratic Party of Virginia office at 919 E. Main Street, Suite 2050 in Richmond as soon as possible after the conclusion of voting.
D. Limits on campaigning. No campaigning or other partisan activities on behalf of or opposed to a Caucus candidate are permitted inside any Caucus building, and all campaigning and partisan activities are prohibited within forty (40) feet outside any entrance to any Caucus building. The use of any amplified audio system is not permitted within three hundred (300) feet of any Caucus building. No campaign or individual may interfere with persons entering or departing any Caucus location.

E. Required declaration form. At the door of the Caucus, the participants will receive the Democratic Party declaration form, which will require each participant’s full name and address, and a location for the participant to sign the following pledge: “I certify that I am a resident of and registered to vote in Virginia House of Delegates District 77; I am a Democrat; I believe in the principles of the Democratic Party; and I do not intend to support, endorse or assist any candidate who is opposed to the Virginia House of Delegates District 77 Democratic nominee in the ensuing election for Virginia House of Delegates District 77.” No participant will be permitted to vote in the Caucus unless he or she completes the declaration form.
F. Use of information. The list of voters who participate in the Caucus is the property of the Virginia House of Delegates District 77 Committee, and the Virginia House of Delegates District 77 Committee has the right to disclose to any person the fact that a person has participated in the Caucus.
G. Review of declaration. After each participant has completed and signed the declaration form, he or she will submit the form to a Credentials Official who will ensure that the form is completed in full and without alterations, including signature, after which a Credentials official will check the information against the registered voter list. A declaration form identified by a Credentials Official as not having been completed accurately and in full, as not including a signature, or as containing any alteration(s) to the pledge, will be rejected, although the participant will be eligible to submit an unaltered or complete declaration form.
H. Monitoring participant validation. The candidate poll watchers may observe, but not interfere with, the validation process. Any question regarding the eligibility of a participant should be taken immediately to the Director at that caucus location.
I. Standards for participant verification. A participant fulfilling the requirements of Rule III-E above is eligible to vote if he or she is validly registered as a voter in Virginia House of Delegates District 77 at the time he or she seeks to participate in the Caucus and if he or she presents a proof of address or photo identification listed in Rule J. When a participant presents a properly completed declaration form and proof of address, a caucus official will check the information from the form and proof of address or photo identification against the Caucus copy of the registered voter list to ascertain the participant’s voting eligibility. Voters who have completed the declaration form and been verified on the registered voter list will receive a vote ticket and proceed to the area where the ballots are located. The Credentials Official will check the box on the registered voter list to indicate the voter has participated in the Caucus. If a participant is not listed on the Caucus copy of the registered voter list, he or she may offer a certificate of voting eligibility issued by the Richmond or Chesterfield Voter Registrar (i.e., a voter registration card or receipt) or demonstrate their registration via the Virginia Department of Elections website, in which case the participant will be eligible to vote in the ordinary fashion. A participant who is deemed eligible to participate in the Caucus by the Credentials Official will be instructed to proceed toward the area where the ballots are located.
J. Proof of address or Photo identification. A participant must show proof of address or photo identification. Qualifying documents include:

1. Payroll check stub issued by an employer within the last two
   months
2. U.S. Internal Revenue Service tax reporting W-2 form or 1099 form
   (not more than 18 months old)
3. U.S. or Virginia income tax return from the previous year.
4. Original monthly bank statement not more than two months old
   issued by a bank
5. Annual Social Security statement for the current or preceding
   calendar year
6. Utility bill, not more than two months old, issued to the applicant
   (examples include gas, electric, sewer, water, cable, phone or cell
   phone bill).
7. Receipt for personal property taxes or real estate taxes paid within
   the last year
8. Current automobile or life insurance bill (cards or policies are not
   accepted)
9. Certified copy of school records/transcript or official report card
   issued within the last year by a school accredited by a U.S. state,
   jurisdiction or territory Voter registration card
10. Driver’s license, learner’s permit or DMV-issued photo ID cards
    displaying the applicant’s current address
    12. Current homeowners insurance policy or bill
    13. Canceled check (not more than two months old) with both name
    and address imprinted
    14. Deed, mortgage, monthly mortgage statement, or residential rental/
    lease agreement
    15. U.S. Postal Service change of address confirmation form or
    postmarked U.S. mail with forwarding address label (must display
    the applicant’s full name)
11. Valid United States passport
12. Any other photo identification card issued by a government agency
    of the Commonwealth, one of its political subdivisions, or the United
    States
13. Valid student identification card containing a photograph of the
    voter issued by any institution of higher education located in the
    Commonwealth of Virginia
14. Any valid employee identification card containing a photograph of
    the voter and issued by an employer of the voter in the ordinary
    course of the employer’s business

K. Provisional voting. If a participant believes that he or she is registered to
vote in Virginia House of Delegates District 77, but cannot demonstrate
registration via the foregoing methods, the Director will instruct a
Credentials Official to provide the participant with a ballot to cast
provisionally. Provisional ballots must be marked and returned to the
Director, who will seal the provisional ballot in an envelope, mark it as
provisional, affix to the outside of the sealed envelope the participant’s
declaration form, and hold the provisional ballot in the sealed envelope
without casting it.
L. Distribution of ballots. When a participant with a vote ticket arrives at the
location where ballots are located, a Caucus ballot officer will hand the
participant one official paper ballot in exchange for the vote ticket, with a
procedure ensuring that only one ballot is given to each participant.

M. Marking and casting of ballots. Caucus officials will direct each voter to
the location where he or she may make their ballot selection, and may
provide voting instructions as needed. Voters will mark their ballots in a
setting that permits observation by Caucus officials, but also permits voter
privacy and confidentiality of voter choice. Upon marking their ballot, each
voter must place the ballot into the ballot box. A vote is not considered
cast until it has been placed into the ballot box. If a voter spoils a ballot
before casting it, the voter may request a replacement ballot; however,
only the Director may exchange such a ballot for a fresh ballot. The
Director shall keep a record of spoiled ballots.
N. Disability Services. A participant with a physical disability may request
the physical assistance of one or more Caucus officials to execute any of
the tasks listed in this section (e.g., to read and/or mark any form and/or
place a ballot in the ballot box). When a Caucus official determines that a
participant should be permitted to cast their vote through Disability
Services Voting, a Caucus official must deliver a declaration form to the
participant, transmit the complete declaration form for registration
verification, obtain a ballot (if the participant is eligible to vote), deliver the
ballot to the participant, seal the marked ballot in an envelope to ensure
voter privacy, and return the marked ballot to the ballot box. Curbside
voting will be offered for individuals eligible to vote curbside under the
Code of Virginia.
O. End of the Caucus. Approximately five minutes before the appointed end
time, the Sergeant-at-Arms will step outside the doors of the Caucus room
and again outside the Caucus building to announce that the Caucus voting
will end at the appointed time and at that time the doors to the Caucus will
be closed. All persons in line at the entrance doors or in any designated
line for Disability Services Voting at the appointed end time will be allowed
to vote. Any person not in line or in the voting room by the appointed time
will not be allowed to vote.

IV. Determination of Nominee: Counting of Votes, Announcement of Results.
A. Ballot preservation. No ballots will be counted before all eligible voters
have cast their votes on Sunday, December 14.
B. Teller Committee. The Chair will appoint a Teller Committee to count the votes. The Teller Committee will comprise a Head Teller and at least four Tellers. The Teller Committee will meet to tally votes beginning as soon as possible after the conclusion of the caucus at the Democratic Party of Virginia office at 919 E. Main Street, Suite 2050 in Richmond. Boxes will not be opened and counting will not begin before 7PM or as soon thereafter is practicable. Candidates may have no more than two representatives, including themselves, present to observe the tellers.
C. Sequestration of tellers. While counting is underway, all members of the Teller Committee must agree to be sequestered in an area and not to communicate with the outside world. The segregated area will be designed to allow other Caucus officers to generally observe the Teller Committee’s activities without interfering with them.
D. Ballot box delivery. Each sealed and secured ballot box will be delivered by the voting location directors to the Democratic Party of Virginia office at 919 E. Main Street, Suite 2050 in Richmond immediately upon the conclusion of voting. At 7PM or as soon as practicable after 7PM, the Chair will examine the ballot boxes. Up to two candidate representatives (including the candidate) may be present to observe. Ballot boxes will then be opened.
E. Conduct of Teller Committee. The Teller Committee will count, record, and verify the results of the Caucus voting. At the conclusion of their activities, the Teller Committee must agree upon their tabulations and affix their signatures upon the written certification of the results. All activities of the Teller Committee will occur under the direction of the Head Teller.
F. Opening. The Caucus Chair or his designee will open the ballot boxes in the presence of the Teller Committee. At the commencement of the counting process, the Chair will also announce the number of provisional ballots cast and retained by the Directors.
G. Sorting. The members of the Teller Committee will divide the ballots according to which candidate, or no candidate, was selected on the ballot. If any ballot is unclear, any teller may ask at any time that it be set aside as a “questionable” ballot. The remaining ballots, once unfolded and sorted by candidate selected, will be redistributed for counting pursuant to the provisions of Rule IV-H, below.
H. Counting. The tellers will stack the votes into piles of 100 like votes for a given candidate and bind each stack together. Tellers are responsible for ensuring that each stack contains 100 votes for a particular candidate and each must sign a paper so certifying and affixing it to the stack. Any ballots that remain after the stacks of 100 votes are counted and certified will be counted into a short stack; all tellers will certify as to the number of votes in each such stack. The tellers must alert the Head Teller regarding any wrongly placed or questionable ballots. The resulting certified stacks of ballots will be gathered together by the Head Teller in a central place.
I. Review. When all ballots that can be have been placed into stacks, the Head Teller will then assemble the Teller Committee, which will determine how to allocate each of the questionable ballots that could affect the totals. The Teller Committee may unanimously declare that such a ballot be allocated to one particular candidate, or to no candidate. If the Teller Committee cannot agree unanimously, then the ballot must remain a “questionable” ballot and will be indicated as such for purposes of the Teller Committee’s certified total.
J. Tallying. The Head Teller, in the presence of the Teller Committee, will
then count aloud the stacks of votes and the number specified in any short
stack for each candidate, or no candidate, in turn. The Head Teller will
compute a total for each candidate. The Head Teller must then ensure that
all tellers agree on the totals (and report the total number of questionable
ballots, if any). The Head Teller will report totals for each candidate from
each location to compute the overall total of caucus votes for each candidate.
K. Certification of results. Immediately upon the conclusion of all counting,
the Nominating Committee Chair will ensure that each member of the
Teller Committee certifies the tabulation; no announcement of the results
will be made until all reasonable efforts at this certification have been
undertaken. If there are provisional ballots that would affect the outcome
and those provisional ballots are ultimately validated, they will be used to
adjust the outcome.
L. Announcement of results. Unless the disposition of provisional ballots could determine the outcome, the candidate with the most votes total (combining the results from each location) will be declared the nominee. The Chair or his designee will announce the certified result to those assembled. The results will also be posted on the Democratic Party of Virginia website in a timely manner.
M. Preservation of ballots. After the Chair or his designee has announced the results, all ballots and provisional ballots will be taken up, sealed, and secured for preservation.
N. Provisional ballots. If provisional ballots are cast during the Caucus, and the number of those provisional ballots could potentially alter the outcome of the Caucus (i.e. the identity of a nominee) if added to the results certified by the Teller Committee, the Chair or his Designee will announce the results, but the declaration of a Democratic nominee will not be made until the provisional ballots are verified and counted on the day specified in Rule V. If no provisional ballots are cast or if an insufficient number of provisional ballots are cast to potentially alter the outcome of the Caucus if added to the results certified by the Teller Committee, the Chair will declare the results and the provisional ballots will not be counted.

V. Disposition of Provisional Ballots, Ties
A. Accreditation of provisional ballots. The Chair will determine a time and day to consult with any relevant local registrar’s or their designee to verify whether those who cast provisional ballots were registered voters in Virginia House of Delegates District 77 as of the time of their participation in the caucus. The meeting will be announced to the candidates or their campaign representatives. Ballots cast by voters that the registrar determined qualified will be counted. Reasonable efforts will be made to
protect voter privacy (i.e., to avoid disclosing the selection(s) made by a particular identified voter). Any provisional ballots cast by voters who are not determined eligible will not be opened or counted.
B. Counting of provisional ballots. In the event there are accredited provisional ballots of sufficient number to possibly determine the election, a Provisional Teller Committee will convene to count them, otherwise the Chair or the Chair’s designee will count them. The Provisional Teller Committee will include the Chair and up to two other tellers appointed by the Chair. Each candidate may designate one observer to review the count of any accredited provisional ballots. The Caucus Officers listed in Rule II-B may also observe such counts. If the Provisional Teller Committee is in unanimous agreement on how to allocate the accredited provisional ballots, its members must all sign a certification to that effect. If they disagree, each member of the Provisional Teller Committee must indicate in writing to which specific candidate (or to no candidate) he or she would allocate each accredited provisional ballot in each relevant
round of tabulation, and a plurality vote of the members of the Provisional Teller Committee will determine the final allocation for each ballot in that round, with the Chair permitted to cast an additional vote to break any tie.
C. Determination of outcome. If the nominee has not been declared due to the need to ascertain the validity and disposition of provisional ballots, following the review of those ballots, the results of accredited provisional ballots (if any) will be added to the vote total(s) arrived at per Rule V. The Chair will declare that the candidate prevailing under the relevant part of Rule V as the Democratic nominee Virginia House of Delegates District 77.
D. Breaking of ties. In the event two candidates are tied, the Chair will flip a coin to determine the nominee. In the event three or more candidates are tied for first place, one candidate will be determined by drawing lots by the Chair.

VI. Appeals. If there are any challenges to the conduct of the election, they will be resolved by the Virginia House of Delegates District 77 Nominating Committee Chair. If there are further challenges to the Chair’s decision, they will be resolved by referring to the Democratic Party of Virginia Party Plan.

The post HD 77 Call to Caucus appeared first on Democratic Party of Virginia.

Call to Caucus to Nominate

a Democratic Candidate for the Virginia State Senate in District 15
The Chesterfield County and Richmond City Democratic Committees will hold an
unassembled caucus on Sunday, December 7, 2025, from 10am to 6pm at the following
locations:
● Thomas Dale High School WEST CAMPUS 3900 West Hundred Road, Chester
VA 23831 (Chesterfield)
● Manchester Middle School 7401 Hull Street Road, North Chesterfield VA 23235
(Chesterfield)
● Hickory Hill Community Center 3000 East Belt Blvd., Richmond VA 23234
Any registered voter in Virginia Senate District 15 who meets the participation
requirements outlined in the call to caucus will be eligible to vote at any of the caucus
voting locations.
The following provisions shall govern the caucus:
I. Candidate Filing Requirements:
A. Candidate filing format. Each person seeking to become the Democratic
Party Nominee for Virginia Senate District 15 shall file with Caroline
Emmons, Chair of Virginia Senate District 15 Nominating Committee
(secretary@chesterfielddems.org), or her designee:

1. SD15 Candidate Declaration of Candidacy.docx ;
2. a candidate filing fee of $3,000
   Declaration of candidacy forms and petition of qualified voter forms are
   published on the DPVA, Chesterfield County Democratic Committee, and
   Richmond City Democratic Committee websites and by request from the
   Chair.
   B. Mandatory fee. A filing fee of three thousand dollars ($3,000) made
   payable to the Chesterfield County Democratic Committee with the
   candidate filing materials. The filing fee shall be paid by check.
   C. Deadline and means of filing. Candidate Filings must be returned to the
   Chair or the Chair’s designated representative between Thursday,
   December 4, at 9AM and Friday, December 5, at 9AM. A candidate whose
   Filing contains errors or omissions may supplement or amend the filing
   any time before the deadline; however, the filing will not be considered

properly filed until the Chair so certifies. Candidates may file through a
designated agent, but such action in no way alters the responsibility of the
candidate nor extends the deadline for receipt. The Chair or the Chair’s
designated representative must personally receive the Filing for it to be
valid. A candidate or candidate representative may contact the Chair at
secretary@chesterfielddems.org to make arrangements to transmit their
Filings. The Chair will take reasonable steps to ensure that candidates or
their agents can easily locate and transmit their Filings to the Chair or the
Chair’s designated representative. The Chair or the Chair’s designated
representative will confirm acceptance of a candidate Filing with a written
receipt. Once a candidate Filing is reviewed and determined to be properly
filed, the Chair will make reasonable attempts to notify the candidate by
contacting the phone number and email listed on the candidate’s
declaration of candidacy form.
D. Ballot order. Candidates will be listed on the ballot in the order that they
properly filed — with the first complete and properly filed candidate listed
first on the ballot. In cases of simultaneous filing by multiple candidates,
ballot order will be determined by a coin toss. This coin toss will take place
at the time of the simultaneous filing.
E. Disqualification as a candidate. Only those candidates who have
properly filed by 9AM on December 5, will be listed on the caucus ballot
and be eligible for the Democratic nomination. In the event a candidate is
declared ineligible, the caucus process will proceed without that
candidate.
F. No contest. If only one person files properly to be a candidate for the
Democratic nominee, the Chair may cancel the caucus and declare the
properly filed candidate the Democratic Party nominee.
G. Insufficient candidates. In the event that no candidates have made a
valid filing by the December 5 at 9AM deadline, the Caucus will be
canceled. In the event that no candidate has made a valid filing, the 15th
Senate District Nominating Committee will have the sole power to
determine when and/or whether to nominate a Democratic Candidate for
the Virginia Senate District 15 seat.

II. Caucus Officers, Officials, and Other Authorized Persons and Activities
A. Caucus officials appointments. The Chair of the Virginia Senate District
15 Committee shall appoint all Caucus officers described in Rule II-B and
such other Officers of the Caucus as is deemed appropriate.

B. Officers of the Caucus

1. Nominating Committee
2. Director (one at each voting location)
3. Sergeant-at-Arms (one at each voting location)
4. Head Teller
5. Credentials Officers (at least two at each voting location)
6. Members of the Tellers Committee (at least one at each voting
   location)

C. Conduct of Caucus officials. All Caucus officials must wear official
Caucus credentials while performing their duties at the Caucus. No
Caucus official may engage in partisan activity (i.e., activity supporting or
opposing a particular candidate) while performing the duties of a Caucus
official, or while wearing credentials as a Caucus official.
D. Campaign poll watchers. Each candidate (or campaign) may designate
one poll watcher per voting location. At any time, but with the permission
of the Director or the Director’s designee, a campaign may “swap out” an
individual serving as a poll watcher for another such individual. Each poll
watcher must wear credentials identifying them as such. No person will be
allowed to serve as a poll watcher and a Caucus official at the same time.
No individual may engage in partisan activity while performing the duties
of a poll watcher, or while wearing official credentials. No poll watcher may
initiate a conversation with any participant (although he or she may assist
a participant who requests it by directing the participant to a Caucus
official) without the permission of the Director, nor may a poll watcher
interfere with the privacy of individual voters casting ballots. Poll watchers
may observe all aspects of the election, including the setting up of the
Caucus site.
E. Media. Representatives from the press and other media outlets must be
issued credentials as observers before or upon entering the voting room.
Those issued credentials must not interfere with the voting process or the
privacy of individual voters.
F. Neutrality. In accordance with Section 10.11 of the Democratic Party Plan
certain party officials may not endorse. Additionally, the following caucus

officers may not publicly endorse or support any candidate seeking the
Democratic nomination for Virginia Senate District 15:

1. Nominating Committee Members
2. Directors
3. Tellers

III. Caucus Procedures
A. Ballot box preparation. No more than 1 hour before the start of the
Caucus, the Director at each location, in the presence of any candidate (or
designated candidate representative) who wishes to observe, shall open a
ballot box to ensure that it is empty and seal the boxes in a manner that
makes it impractical to open without evidence of tampering. During the
course of the Caucus, if a subsequent ballot box is required, it will be
opened, inspected and then sealed using the same procedure, with notice
to any candidate (or representative) who is present and may wish to
observe.
B. Commencement of the Caucus. At 10am on Sunday, December 7, the
Director at each location will declare that the Caucus has begun; no
participant may enter the Caucus area before that time. The vote will be
held from 10am until the last person in line to vote at 6pm has cast his or
her ballot.
C. Sealing and storage of the ballot box. After the last eligible person has
voted on Sunday, December 7, the Director at each location, in the
presence of any candidate (or designated candidate representative) who
wishes to observe, shall seal their respective ballot box. The Directors will
deliver the secured ballot boxes to the Virginia Senate District 15 Chair at
7617 Pocoshock Way as soon as possible after the conclusion of voting.
D. Limits on campaigning. No campaigning or other partisan activities on
behalf of or opposed to a Caucus candidate are permitted inside any
Caucus building, and all campaigning and partisan activities are prohibited
within forty (40) feet outside any entrance to any Caucus building. The use
of any amplified audio system is not permitted within three hundred (300)
feet of any Caucus building. No campaign or individual may interfere with
persons entering or departing any Caucus location.

E. Required declaration form. At the door of the Caucus, the participants
will receive the Democratic Party declaration form, which will require each
participant’s full name and address, and a location for the participant to
sign the following pledge: “I certify that I am a resident of and registered to
vote in Virginia Senate District 15; I am a Democrat; I believe in the
principles of the Democratic Party; and I do not intend to support, endorse
or assist any candidate who is opposed to the Virginia Senate District 15
Democratic nominee in the ensuing election for Virginia Senate District
15.” No participant will be permitted to vote in the Caucus unless he or she
completes the declaration form.
F. Use of information. The list of voters who participate in the Caucus is the
property of the Virginia Senate District 15 Committee, and the Virginia
Senate District 15 Committee has the right to disclose to any person the
fact that a person has participated in the Caucus.
G. Review of declaration. After each participant has completed and signed
the declaration form, he or she will submit the form to a Credentials
Official who will ensure that the form is completed in full and without
alterations, including signature, after which a Credentials official will check
the information against the registered voter list. A declaration form
identified by a Credentials Official as not having been completed
accurately and in full, as not including a signature, or as containing any
alteration(s) to the pledge, will be rejected, although the participant will be
eligible to submit an unaltered or complete declaration form.
H. Monitoring participant validation. The candidate poll watchers may
observe, but not interfere with, the validation process. Any question
regarding the eligibility of a participant should be taken immediately to the
Director at that caucus location.
I. Standards for participant verification. A participant fulfilling the
requirements of Rule III-E above is eligible to vote if he or she is validly
registered as a voter in Virginia Senate District 15 at the time he or she
seeks to participate in the Caucus and if he or she presents a proof of
address or photo identification listed in Rule J. When a participant
presents a properly completed declaration form and proof of address, a
caucus official will check the information from the form and proof of
address or photo identification against the Caucus copy of the registered
voter list to ascertain the participant’s voting eligibility. Voters who have
completed the declaration form and been verified on the registered voter
list will receive a vote ticket and proceed to the area where the ballots are

located. The Credentials Official will check the box on the registered voter
list to indicate the voter has participated in the Caucus. If a participant is
not listed on the Caucus copy of the registered voter list, he or she may
offer a certificate of voting eligibility issued by the Richmond or
Chesterfield Voter Registrar (i.e., a voter registration card or receipt) or
demonstrate his or her registration via the Virginia Department of Elections
website, in which case the participant will be eligible to vote in the ordinary
fashion. A participant who is deemed eligible to participate in the Caucus
by the Credentials Official will be instructed to proceed toward the area
where the ballots are located.
J. Proof of address or Photo identification. A participant must show proof
of address or photo identification. Qualifying documents include:

1. Payroll check stub issued by an employer within the last two
   months
2. U.S. Internal Revenue Service tax reporting W-2 form or 1099 form
   (not more than 18 months old)
3. U.S. or Virginia income tax return from the previous year.
4. Original monthly bank statement not more than two months old
   issued by a bank
5. Annual Social Security statement for the current or preceding
   calendar year
6. Utility bill, not more than two months old, issued to the applicant
   (examples include gas, electric, sewer, water, cable, phone or cell
   phone bill).
7. Receipt for personal property taxes or real estate taxes paid within
   the last year
8. Current automobile or life insurance bill (cards or policies are not
   accepted)
9. Certified copy of school records/transcript or official report card
   issued within the last year by a school accredited by a U.S. state,
   jurisdiction or territory
   10.Voter registration card
10. Driver’s license, learner’s permit or DMV-issued photo ID cards
    displaying the applicant’s current address
    12.Current homeowners insurance policy or bill
    13.Canceled check (not more than two months old) with both name
    and address imprinted
    14.Deed, mortgage, monthly mortgage statement, or residential rental/
    lease agreement
    15.U.S. Postal Service change of address confirmation form or
    postmarked U.S. mail with forwarding address label (must display
    the applicant’s full name)
11. Valid United States passport
12. Any other photo identification card issued by a government agency
    of the Commonwealth, one of its political subdivisions, or the United
    States
13. Valid student identification card containing a photograph of the
    voter issued by any institution of higher education located in the
    Commonwealth of Virginia
14. Any valid employee identification card containing a photograph of
    the voter and issued by an employer of the voter in the ordinary
    course of the employer’s business

K. Provisional voting. If a participant believes that he or she is registered to
vote in Virginia Senate District 15, but cannot demonstrate registration via
the foregoing methods, the Director will instruct a Credentials Official to
provide the participant with a ballot to cast provisionally. Provisional ballots
must be marked and returned to the Director, who will seal the provisional
ballot in an envelope, mark it as provisional, affix to the outside of the
sealed envelope the participant’s declaration form, and hold the
provisional ballot in the sealed envelope without casting it.
L. Distribution of ballots. When a participant with a vote ticket arrives at the
location where ballots are located, a Caucus ballot officer will hand the
participant one official paper ballot in exchange for the vote ticket, with a
procedure ensuring that only one ballot is given to each participant.
M. Marking and casting of ballots. Caucus officials will direct each voter to
the location where he or she may make his or her ballot selection, and

may provide voting instructions as needed. Voters will mark their ballots in
a setting that permits observation by Caucus officials, but also permits
voter privacy and confidentiality of voter choice. Upon marking his or her
ballot, each voter must place the ballot into the ballot box. A vote is not
considered cast until it has been placed into the ballot box. If a voter spoils
a ballot before casting it, the voter may request a replacement ballot;
however, only the Director may exchange such a ballot for a fresh ballot.
The Director shall keep a record of spoiled ballots.
N. Disability Services. A participant with a physical disability may request
the physical assistance of one or more Caucus officials to execute any of
the tasks listed in this section (e.g., to read and/or mark any form and/or
place a ballot in the ballot box). When a Caucus official determines that a
participant should be permitted to cast his or her vote through Disability
Services Voting, a Caucus official must deliver a declaration form to the
participant, transmit the complete declaration form for registration
verification, obtain a ballot (if the participant is eligible to vote), deliver the
ballot to the participant, seal the marked ballot in an envelope to ensure
voter privacy, and return the marked ballot to the ballot box. Curbside
voting will be offered for individuals eligible to vote curbside under the
Code of Virginia.
O. End of the Caucus. Approximately five minutes before the appointed end
time, the Sergeant-at-Arms will step outside the doors of the Caucus room
and again outside the Caucus building to announce that the Caucus voting
will end at the appointed time and at that time the doors to the Caucus will
be closed. All persons in line at the entrance doors or in any designated
line for Disability Services Voting at the appointed end time will be allowed
to vote. Any person not in line or in the voting room by the appointed time
will not be allowed to vote.

IV. Determination of Nominee: Counting of Votes, Announcement of Results.
A. Ballot preservation. No ballots will be counted before all eligible voters
have cast their votes on Sunday, December 7.
B. Teller Committee. The Chair will appoint a Teller Committee to count the
votes. The Teller Committee will comprise a Head Teller and at least four
Tellers. The Teller Committee will meet to tally votes beginning as soon as
possible after the conclusion of the caucus at the Chesterfield County
Democratic Committee office at 7617 Pocoshock Way. Boxes will not be
opened and counting will not begin before 7PM or as soon thereafter is

practicable. Candidates may have no more than two representatives,
including themselves, present to observe the tellers.
C. Sequestration of tellers. While counting is underway, all members of the
Teller Committee must agree to be sequestered in an area and not to
communicate with the outside world. The segregated area will be
designed to allow other Caucus officers to generally observe the Teller
Committee’s activities without interfering with them.
D. Ballot box delivery. Each sealed and secured ballot box will be delivered
by the voting location directors to the Chesterfield County Democratic
Office at 7617 Pocoshock Way immediately upon the conclusion of voting.
At 7PM or as soon as practicable after 7PM, the Chair will examine the
ballot boxes. Up to two candidate representatives (including the
candidate) may be present to observe. Ballot boxes will then be opened.
E. Conduct of Teller Committee. The Teller Committee will count, record,
and verify the results of the Caucus voting. At the conclusion of their
activities, the Teller Committee must agree upon their tabulations and affix
their signatures upon the written certification of the results. All activities of
the Teller Committee will occur under the direction of the Head Teller.
F. Opening. The Caucus Chair or her designee will open the ballot boxes in
the presence of the Teller Committee. At the commencement of the
counting process, the Chair will also announce the number of provisional
ballots cast and retained by the Directors.
G. Sorting. The members of the Teller Committee will divide the ballots
according to which candidate, or no candidate, was selected on the ballot.
If any ballot is unclear, any teller may ask at any time that it be set aside
as a “questionable” ballot. The remaining ballots, once unfolded and
sorted by candidate selected, will be redistributed for counting pursuant to
the provisions of Rule IV-H, below.
H. Counting. The tellers will stack the votes into piles of 100 like votes for a
given candidate and bind each stack together. Tellers are responsible for
ensuring that each stack contains 100 votes for a particular candidate and
each must sign a paper so certifying and affixing it to the stack. Any
ballots that remain after the stacks of 100 votes are counted and certified
will be counted into a short stack; all tellers will certify as to the number of
votes in each such stack. The tellers must alert the Head Teller regarding
any wrongly placed or questionable ballots. The resulting certified stacks
of ballots will be gathered together by the Head Teller in a central place.

I. Review. When all ballots that can be have been placed into stacks, the
Head Teller will then assemble the Teller Committee, which will determine
how to allocate each of the questionable ballots that could affect the totals.
The Teller Committee may unanimously declare that such a ballot be
allocated to one particular candidate, or to no candidate. If the Teller
Committee cannot agree unanimously, then the ballot must remain a
“questionable” ballot and will be indicated as such for purposes of the
Teller Committee’s certified total.
J. Tallying. The Head Teller, in the presence of the Teller Committee, will
then count aloud the stacks of votes and the number specified in any short
stack for each candidate, or no candidate, in turn. The Head Teller will
compute a total for each candidate. The Head Teller must then ensure that
all tellers agree on the totals (and report the total number of questionable
ballots, if any). The Head Teller will report totals for each candidate from
each location to compute the overall total of caucus votes for each
candidate.
K. Certification of results. Immediately upon the conclusion of all counting,
the Nominating Committee Chair will ensure that each member of the
Teller Committee certifies the tabulation; no announcement of the results
will be made until all reasonable efforts at this certification have been
undertaken. If there are provisional ballots that would affect the outcome
and those provisional ballots are ultimately validated, they will be used to
adjust the outcome.
L. Announcement of results. Unless the disposition of provisional ballots
could determine the outcome, the candidate with the most votes total
(combining the results from each location) will be declared the nominee.
The Chair or her designee will announce the certified result to those
assembled. The results will also be posted on the Democratic Party of
Virginia website in a timely manner.
M. Preservation of ballots. After the Chair or her designee has announced
the results, all ballots and provisional ballots will be taken up, sealed, and
secured for preservation.
N. Provisional ballots. If provisional ballots are cast during the Caucus, and
the number of those provisional ballots could potentially alter the outcome
of the Caucus (i.e. the identity of a nominee) if added to the results
certified by the Teller Committee, the Chair or her Designee will announce
the results, but the declaration of a Democratic nominee will not be made

until the provisional ballots are verified and counted on the day specified in
Rule V. If no provisional ballots are cast or if an insufficient number of
provisional ballots are cast to potentially alter the outcome of the Caucus if
added to the results certified by the Teller Committee, the Chair will
declare the results and the provisional ballots will not be counted.

V. Disposition of Provisional Ballots, Ties
A. Accreditation of provisional ballots. The Chair will determine a time
and day to consult with any relevant local registrar’s or their designee to
verify whether those who cast provisional ballots were registered voters in
VIrginia Senate District 15 as of the time of their participation in the
caucus. The meeting will be announced to the candidates or their
campaign representatives. Ballots cast by voters that the registrar
determined qualified will be counted. Reasonable efforts will be made to
protect voter privacy (i.e., to avoid disclosing the selection(s) made by a
particular identified voter). Any provisional ballots cast by voters who are
not determined eligible will not be opened or counted.
B. Counting of provisional ballots. In the event there are accredited
provisional ballots of sufficient number to possibly determine the election,
a Provisional Teller Committee will convene to count them, otherwise the
Chair or the Chair’s designee will count them. The Provisional Teller
Committee will include the Chair and up to two other tellers appointed by
the Chair. Each candidate may designate one observer to review the
count of any accredited provisional ballots. The Caucus Officers listed in
Rule II-B may also observe such counts. If the Provisional Teller
Committee is in unanimous agreement on how to allocate the accredited
provisional ballots, its members must all sign a certification to that effect. If
they disagree, each member of the Provisional Teller Committee must
indicate in writing to which specific candidate (or to no candidate) he or
she would allocate each accredited provisional ballot in each relevant
round of tabulation, and a plurality vote of the members of the Provisional
Teller Committee will determine the final allocation for each ballot in that
round, with the Chair permitted to cast an additional vote to break any tie.
C. Determination of outcome. If the nominee has not been declared due to
the need to ascertain the validity and disposition of provisional ballots,
following the review of those ballots, the results of accredited provisional
ballots (if any) will be added to the vote total(s) arrived at per Rule V. The
Chair will declare that the candidate prevailing under the relevant part of

Rule V as the Democratic nominee for Congress in Virginia Senate District
15.
D. Breaking of ties. In the event two candidates are tied, the Chair will flip a
coin to determine the nominee. In the event three or more candidates are
tied for first place, one candidate will be determined by drawing lots by the
Chair.

VI. Appeals. If there are any challenges to the conduct of the election, they will be
resolved by the Virginia Senate District 15 Nominating Committee Chair. If there
are further challenges to the Chair’s decision, they will be resolved by referring to
the Democratic Party of Virginia Party Plan.

The post SD 15 Call to Caucus appeared first on Democratic Party of Virginia.

Read more about Sears’ extreme record:
 
When asked directly in an interview with NBC News Now, Sears didn’t disagree with Trump on anything after her staff previously declared she’s more conservative than Trump.
 
Sears has dismissed and laughed off attacks on Virginia jobs over and over again.

• In a CNN interview, when asked if she supports Donald Trump’s attacks on Virginia’s jobs, Winsome Earle-Sears refused to answer and dismissed the jobs cuts saying she wants “to talk about real issues” instead. 
• Winsome Earle-Sears was caught on tape dismissing and laughing off the attacks on Virginia jobs saying “the media is making it out to be a huge, huge thing… and I don’t understand why.” 
• In an interview on NBC News Now, Sears repeatedly refused to call on Donald Trump to stop firing Virginians as he threatens even more mass firings if the Republican-led federal government shuts down.  
• As Trump attacked Virginia’s workforce and economy, Sears said “I’m supporting what the President is doing.” 

Sears cheered on Trump’s tax bill and dismissed the concerns of Virginians being stripped of their health insurance.

• Sears praised Trump’s tax bill saying it “does so many great things” as it stripped 350,000 Virginians of healthcare and put at least six rural hospitals at risk of closing. 
• When asked about the 350,000 Virginians facing healthcare cuts, Sears outright lied, saying “there are no Virginians who are going to lose Medicaid coverage in Virginia.”

Sears has a long record of supporting legislation that would cut funding from Virginia’s public schools and has repeatedly tried to defund public education. 

Sears has a dangerous record attacking reproductive rights and gay rights: 

• In multiple interviews, Sears has made clear her support for restrictions on abortion.
  • In a 2022 interview she said, “we need to make our choices before we’re pregnant, not, you know, after, you already made a choice.”
  • During her campaign for lieutenant governor she called abortion “genocide.”
• Sears supports an extreme six week abortion ban similar to the law that took effect in Texas that bans abortion before most women know they are pregnant.
• Sears vowed to “do everything in [her] power” to end abortion in Virginia.
  • Sears’ 2021 lieutenant governor campaign website: “I will do everything in my power to stop this act from taking place in Virginia.”
    • Sears attempted to scrub this abortion section from her website around September 2021.
• Sears left a handwritten note on a bill protecting marriage equality that she is “morally opposed” to the legislation, and left a similar note that she is “morally opposed to this bill […]” on the constitutional amendment that would protect reproductive freedom in Virginia, including contraception, abortion, and IVF.
  • It’s highly unusual for a Lt. Governor to leave a note while signing a bill.
• In an unearthed candidate survey, Sears pledged to support letting Virginians get fired for being gay and block same-sex couples from adopting children, while also calling homosexuality an “immoral lifestyle choice.”

###

The post Ahead of Election Day, Virginians Know Winsome Earle-Sears is Wrong for the Commonwealth appeared first on Democratic Party of Virginia.

VIRGINIA – In the lead up to Election Day, Virginians across the Commonwealth have been calling out Winsome Earle-Sears for backing Donald Trump’s job and healthcare cuts at her campaign stops. 
 
Sears backs Trump’s attacks on Virginia jobs and downplayed and dismissed the devastating reality of losing a job. Sears also praised Trump’s tax law that will take away healthcare from 350,000 Virginians and force at least six rural hospitals to close. 
 
What Virginians Are Seeing: 
 
WFXR: Virginians Call Out Sears Outside Campaign Event
 

• While people were preparing to hear from numerous Republican nominees on Tuesday’s ballot, several folks expressed their opposition. 
• They join for a peaceful protest outside Oaknall Farms, holding signs stating Winsome Earle-Sears puts President Donald Trump’s policies ahead of Virginians. That includes his so-called big, beautiful bill, which, according to the Democratic Party of Virginia, threatens health care for 1000s of Virginians. They also contend tariffs that are raising costs for Virginia families by more than $2,000 a year on average.
• “Sears did say that jobs getting cut in Virginia is not a real issue. We totally disagree with that. We want to support Virginia jobs, Virginia families. We’re very much for Virginia families here.”
• Meanwhile, they support the team of Abigail Spanberger, [Ghazala] Hashmi and Jay Jones, what they say is standing true to their support for Virginians, federal workers and public education.
• “The Republicans in the state are fighting against and putting down education. They’re hindering it. And I know Spanberger is, I mean, she’s, she talks about it all the time. So there’s a big difference between the two candidates.” 
• A spokesperson for Spanberger provided a statement, which states how she is committed to helping people stay in Virginia, grow the state’s economy and make education in the Commonwealth the best in the United States. 

NBC 29: Protestors Call Sears Out for Backing Healthcare Cuts

• It wasn’t all pro-Sears in Hollymead on Wednesday, though. A handful of protestors from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Virginia gathered with signs ahead of the campaign visit to criticize Sears’ backing of The Big Beautiful Bill, specifically condemning efforts to roll back Medicare and Medicaid.
• “Republican or Democrat, we’re all human, and human beings deserve to have healthcare,” said Lauralyn Clark, a home care worker. “We don’t deserve to have the Republican party take away healthcare for thousands of people right here in Virginia that need these critical services.”
• The group has been following Sears’ campaign bus this week to speak out against “harmful positions that threaten healthcare access, cut vital services, and harm working families across the Commonwealth.”
• “People are really going to die,” Clark said. “This is not a joke. This is reality.”

13 News Now: Protesters in Support of Spanberger Rallied Outside Ahead of Earle-Sears’ Rally

• Protesters in support of Spanberger rallied outside ahead of Earle-Sears’ rally.
• Jean Crawford, who has lived in Hampton Roads for over 40 years, tells 13News Now why she is voting for the Democrat candidate in the governor’s race. 
• “Winsome talks about wanting to be for the people and she is not. For Heaven’s sake, I am outraged she actually said it’s a non-issue. Losing jobs is a non-issue?” said Crawford. […]

Roanoke Times: Protesters Call Out Sears at Campaign Event

• About 50 yards away, a small group of protesters stood on the sidewalk holding signs that read, “Sears puts Trump first, Virginians second,” and “Winsome says job cuts aren’t a real issue.”

ABC 13 News: Protesters Gathered to Voice their Concerns about Sears’ Policies

• Outside the rally, […] protesters gathered to voice their concerns about Sears’ policies and her support for President Donald Trump.
• “The biggest thing we wanna focus on today is the economy. You know, Sears has talked about Trump’s attacks on the Commonwealth, that they’re not real issues. There are people that are losing their jobs, federal workers are losing their jobs. Americans, Virginians, are losing their healthcare. Those are not fake issues; those are very real issues to us,” said Daniel Moir, a college student.
• Protesters accused Sears of brushing off job cuts and said Trump’s attacks on the Commonwealth have hurt Virginians. They fear that if Sears wins, she will do nothing to protect them.

###

The post Across the Commonwealth, Virginians Call Out Sears for Backing Trump’s Job and Healthcare Cuts at Her Campaign Stops appeared first on Democratic Party of Virginia.

SETTLING THIS WEEK’S SCORE 

Winsome’s Wins:

• Tubeman on the Trail: As Sears has continued on the campaign trail, the “Sears  DOGE” tubeman and Virginians have been calling her out at stop after stop for backing Trump’s job and healthcare cuts. Lucky for Sears, her events could use the extra energy and attention. 

Winsome’s Losses:

• DOGE, DOGE, DOGE: Throughout her campaign, Sears has been backing, downplaying, and dismissing Donald Trump’s attacks on Virginia jobs that have been devastating for the Commonwealth. Her key losses:
  • Getting caught on tape dismissing and laughing off the attacks on Virginia jobs saying “the media is making it out to be a huge, huge thing… and I don’t understand why.
  • During a CNN interview saying she wants “to talk about real issues” instead of Virginians losing their jobs. 
  • Telling John Fredericks “I’m supporting what the President is doing” and Virginians facing layoffs “don’t fret.” 
• “So Many Great Things”: Sears has spent her campaign cheering on Trump’s tax law saying it “does so many great things” while it will strip 350,000 Virginians of healthcare.
• Attacking Reproductive Rights: Sears has an extensive record attacking reproductive rights and a dangerous agenda to ban abortion in Virginia. A reminder on where Sears stands:
  • She supports an extreme abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest and vowed to “do everything in [her] power” to end abortion in Virginia.
  • She left a handwritten note that she is “morally opposed” to protecting reproductive freedom.
  • Sears has said verbatim that abortion was “murder,” “genocide,” and “wicked.” 

• Redefining Discrimination: Sears is “morally opposed” to same-sex marriage and supports Virginians being fired for being gay – although she doesn’t think that’s discrimination. If elected, Sears would roll back the fundamental rights of Virginians.
  •  In an unearthed candidate survey, Sears pledged to support letting Virginians get fired for being gay and block same-sex couples from adopting children, while also calling homosexuality an “immoral lifestyle choice.”
  • Sears left a handwritten note on a bill protecting marriage equality that she is “morally opposed” to the legislation.
     
• Defunding Public Education: Sears has a long record of supporting legislation that would cut funding from Virginia’s public schools and has repeatedly tried to defund public education. 

As Sears backs Trump’s job and healthcare cuts, and tries to hide her extreme record from Virginians, she’s proved that Virginians can’t trust her. With Sears, it’s Virginians who stand to lose the most.

###

The post WINSOME, LOSE SOME: The Final Edition appeared first on Democratic Party of Virginia.

 
Transcript:

• Jim Lokay: Look at the Spanberger. You know, she has a record built in from her time in Congress, and you can look at that, […]. When you look at the Lieutenant Governor, four years as Lieutenant Governor, after a long layout from politics, so in terms of what she has done, you talked a little bit about her schedule in NOTUS. Reporting out within the last week, talking about her public schedule, where we haven’t necessarily seen what she has done. Talk a little bit about that.
• Dave Levinthal: She’s run on her record and said, “Hey, I’ve been a very active Lieutenant Governor.” […] We were curious to explore exactly what that looked like in black and white on paper. So we obtained hundreds of records through a Freedom of Information Act request, Virginia FOIA request, and we’re very surprised to see what we got, which was unredacted documents, meaning that we could see everything that was there, but Jim, there were weeks, and in some cases, months, worth of blank pages. So one of two things had to be true, either she was holding things back from her official schedule and not offering them up for public view, which the public is entitled to these documents, or she wasn’t doing a whole heck of a lot. So we contacted her campaign and her Lieutenant Governor’s office multiple times, they declined to comment in any way shape or form. […]
• Lokay: […], I just want to point out too, we have made now, I believe, 16 different inquiries to the Earle-Sears campaign about appearing on the show. We’ve not had any responses. […] Sears has not said anything there. [… ].

###

The post New: Sears’ Lt. Gov Schedule Has “Weeks, and in Some Cases, Months, Worth of Blank Pages” appeared first on Democratic Party of Virginia.

• Sears has refused three different times to call on Donald Trump to stop firing Virginians as he threatens even more mass firings. 

When asked directly about her support for Trump’s policies, Sears didn’t disagree with him on anything – including his policies that have cost Virginia its “Top State for Business” ranking, will take healthcare away from 350,000 Virginians, and raise costs for Virginia families. 

• Sears has repeatedly begged for Trump’s endorsement and brought key Trump allies like Vivek Ramaswamy to campaign with her in Virginia.

Sears has defended Trump’s attacks on Virginia’s workforce and economy.

• Sears told the Associated Press that she backed Trump’s efforts and has doubled down in her support.
• In a CNN interview, when asked if she supports Donald Trump’s attacks on Virginia’s jobs, Winsome Earle-Sears refused to answer and dismissed the jobs cuts saying she wants “to talk about real issues” instead.  
• Sears has also said “I’m supporting what the President is doing.”
• As Donald Trump and DOGE attacked Virginia’s workforce and economy, Sears declared she would help Trump “get the job done” if she were governor.  

Sears cheered on Trump’s tariffs that are raising costs for Virginia families by $2,300, saying “I think that’s good.” 

Sears praised Trump’s tax law saying it “does so many great things” while it will strip 350,000 Virginians of healthcare and put at least six rural hospitals at risk of closing. 

• Last month, a Virginia healthcare provider announced that it’s closing three of its rural health clinics due to the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

###

The post At Sears Blacksburg Campaign Stop, Virginians Call Out Sears for Backing Trump’s Job Cuts appeared first on Democratic Party of Virginia.

VIRGINIA – During a new interview with WJLA, Winsome Earle-Sears doubles down on her support of Donald Trump’s DOGE cuts that have cost thousands of Virginians their jobs. When asked repeatedly about her support for Trump’s cuts, Sears stands by her record of backing the cuts, and downplaying and dismissing the devastating reality of losing a job. 
 
WATCH HERE:
 

Transcript:  

• Reporter: Speaking of the economy, President Trump recently announced thousands of new federal layoffs, many of which are certain to impact Virginia families. Do you support the cuts?
• Winsome Earle-Sears: Here’s what I support. We need to get rid of the government shutdown. […].
• Reporter: But can I ask you real quickly, do you support President Trump’s cuts?
• Sears: I support whatever it takes to get Virginians back to work.

###

The post Sears Doubles Down on Support of DOGE Cuts appeared first on Democratic Party of Virginia.

YORKTOWN, VIRGINIA – Today in Yorktown – with one week until Election Day – Virginians called out Winsome Earle-Sears for backing Donald Trump’s attacks on Virginia jobs that have been devastating for the Commonwealth. Sears backs Trump’s DOGE cuts and has repeatedly downplayed and dismissed them.  
 
“Virginians are calling out Winsome Earle-Sears for backing Donald Trump’s devastating job cuts because they know no matter what she says, she will always put her loyalty to Donald Trump ahead of the Commonwealth,” said DPVA Spokesperson Maggie Amjad.
 
Winsome Earle-Sears’ record putting Trump ahead of the Commonwealth:
 
Sears has refused to call on Trump to stop firing Virginians amid the government shutdown and threats of DOGE 2.0.

• Sears has refused three different times to call on Donald Trump to stop firing Virginians as he threatens even more mass firings. 

When asked directly about her support for Trump’s policies, Sears didn’t disagree with him on anything – including his policies that have cost Virginia its “Top State for Business” ranking, will take healthcare away from 350,000 Virginians, and raise costs for Virginia families. 

• Sears has repeatedly begged for Trump’s endorsement and brought key Trump allies like Vivek Ramaswamy to campaign with her in Virginia.

Sears has defended Trump’s attacks on Virginia’s workforce and economy.

• Sears told the Associated Press that she backed Trump’s efforts and has doubled down in her support.
• In a CNN interview, when asked if she supports Donald Trump’s attacks on Virginia’s jobs, Winsome Earle-Sears refused to answer and dismissed the jobs cuts saying she wants “to talk about real issues” instead.  
• Sears has also said “I’m supporting what the President is doing.”
• As Donald Trump and DOGE attacked Virginia’s workforce and economy, Sears declared she would help Trump “get the job done” if she were governor.  

Sears cheered on Trump’s tariffs that are raising costs for Virginia families by $2,300, saying “I think that’s good.” 

Sears praised Trump’s tax law saying it “does so many great things” while it will strip 350,000 Virginians of healthcare and put at least six rural hospitals at risk of closing. 

• Last month, a Virginia healthcare provider announced that it’s closing three of its rural health clinics due to the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

###

The post In Yorktown, Virginians Call Out Sears for Backing Trump’s Job Cuts Outside of Campaign Event appeared first on Democratic Party of Virginia.