Fewer new voters are registering to vote in Virginia because of the coronavirus pandemic.
New voter registrations are significantly lower compared with the two most recent presidential elections,
For instance, June experienced a 40% drop in the number of new voters who’ve registered in comparison to June 2016. That’s according to the Virginia Public Access Project.
June’s numbers were actually a slight rebound from the low numbers reported in May and April. Numbers have been ticking up as Department of Motor Vehicles centers have reopened. They are a primary location for voter registration.
“We’re definitely seeing it everywhere,” said Kat Calvin, the founder and executive director of Spread the Vote, a California-based organization that helps people register. “I am concerned and I understand it — we’re in a pandemic — but we still have an election Nov. 3.”
The virus has also stopped voter registration efforts like door-to-door canvassing and booths at public events. Many college campuses have also been closed.
