UPDATE 8-3-22: The draft contract for the 2022 election between K&H and Prince William County Office of Elections is under review with state and county attorneys. This is per the General Registrar at the county Electoral Board meeting on July 29, 2022.
Several counties in Northern Virginia, to include Prince William County, now intend to send the list of those requesting absentee ballots, or those already on the list, to an out of state company for both printing and mailing. The company is K&H, a private company located near Seattle, Washington. K&H already supports many all mail-in ballot states, like Colorado.
(https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/vopp-table-18-states-with-all-mail-elections.aspx provides a list of states which allow all mail-in and under what circumstances.)
We oppose the transmission of our absentee ballot lists to an out of state vendor. We have the volunteers living within Prince William County capable of assisting the General Registrar office with the task of mailing ballots should they need it.
Virginia ballots should be printed in Virginia, and local businesses should be supported. Absentee ballots have been successfully printed locally and mailed by the Prince William County Office of Elections in the past. We have full faith that they will be able to do this in the future.
The Electoral Board must also vote on this as they are the custodians of the General Registrar’s office. We understand the July Electoral Board meeting is when this issue will be discussed more thoroughly.
K&H Ballot printing and mailing questions asked at the May 27, 2022 Prince William County Electoral Board meeting.
- Under what jurisdiction is K&H serving under, Virginia or Washington State?
- In reference to VA code 24.2-104, how can the attorney general enforce Virginia election law on out-of-state vendors and out-of-state residents?
- In reference to VA codes 24.2-617 and 24.2-612, who from Prince William County will be representing oversight at K&H to oversee printing and mailing and will this be shared representation between both parties?
- In reference to VA codes 24.2-612, 24.2-617, and 24.2-618, how will the Registrar first review printed ballots before they are mailed, “handle and account for” and “certify the number of ballots received”
- In reference to VA code 24.2-616, who will be signing the Oaths prior to any third-party printing and mailing? This oath may not have a large enough scope to accommodate to requirements of the Virginia code.
In Loudoun County, the following resolution passed the Loudoun GOP Committee, and we encourage the local Prince William County committees to pass a similar resolution.
| With full faith in the Loudoun County Office of Elections & Voter Registration to accurately manage the printing, assembly, and mailing of absentee ballots in Loudoun County, the Loudoun County Republican Committee (LCRC) requests this process NOT be outsourced out-of-state. Resolution 2022-02 passed with an overwhelming majority at the May 23, 2022, LCRC membership meeting. Loudoun County Republican Committee Resolution No. 2022-02 WHEREAS Virginia law was amended in 2021 to allow General Registrars the discretion to contract with private companies to outsource the combined functions of printing, assembling, and mailing of absentee ballots; WHEREAS the Office of Elections of Loudoun County has indicated its intent to contract with K&H, a private company located near Seattle, Washington, to outsource the printing, assembling, and mailing of absentee ballots for Loudoun County; WHEREAS outsourcing such control over ballots to an out-of-state private company for which the Office of Elections of Loudoun County will have essentially no practical oversight presents an opportunity for errors and malfeasance that can affect the accuracy and fairness of an election; WHEREAS public sentiment remains highly skeptical of the integrity of elections, in part because of the increased role of non-governmental actors in the administration of elections; WHEREAS lack of voter confidence in the integrity of elections can suppress voter turnout, undermining the likelihood that an election will accurately reflect the will of the citizens; WHEREAS elections managed in the locality and directly overseen by the General Registrar and Electoral Board will be perceived by voters as being more secure; WHEREAS, in prior elections, the Office of Elections in Loudoun County has successfully managed the preparation and distribution of absentee ballots in-house; WHEREAS the Chairman of the 10th District GOP Committee, the Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, Delegate David LaRock, and certain candidates for the United States House of Representatives have expressed concerns about outsourcing; THEREFORE, the Loudoun County Republican Committee strongly urges the General Registrar of Loudoun County to not outsource any absentee ballot functions to any private entity—and, in particular, not K&H—and instead to continue to manage the printing, assembly, and mailing of absentee ballots in-house; and FURTHER THEREFORE, the Loudoun County Republican Committee strongly urges the General Assembly to repeal the 2021 amendments so that General Registrars no longer may outsource the combined functions of printing, assembling, and mailing of absentee ballots, and in particular not to out-of-state entities. 5/23/2022 |