Attorney General Investigation of Prince William County 2020 Election Administration Procedures: a Matter of Public Record

At the Virginia State Board of Elections (SBE) meeting in April, 2022, a unanimous vote was taken by the SBE to request the Attorney General to conduct an investigation of the Prince William County Office of Elections election administration procedures used for the 2020 election under former General Registrar Michele White.

Ms. White was released from her position as General Registrar in March 2021. The request for assistance from the Attorney General was done pursuant to Virginia statute 24.2-104:

§ 24.2-104. Requesting assistance for attorney for the Commonwealth; investigative committees.

A. The Attorney General shall have full authority to do whatever is necessary or appropriate to enforce the election laws or prosecute violations thereof. The Attorney General shall exercise the authority granted by this section to conduct an investigation, prosecute a violation, assure the enforcement of the elections laws, and report the results of the investigation to the State Board.

B. When the State Board is of the opinion that the public interest will be served, it may request the Attorney General, or other attorney designated by the Governor for such purpose, to assist the attorney for the Commonwealth of any jurisdiction in which election laws have been violated. When the State Board makes its request pursuant to a unanimous vote of all members, the Attorney General, or other attorney designated by the Governor, shall exercise the authority granted by this section to conduct an investigation, prosecute a violation, assure the enforcement of the election laws, and report the results of the investigation to the State Board. The Attorney General, or the other attorney designated by the Governor, shall have full authority to do whatever is necessary or appropriate to enforce the election laws or prosecute violations thereof.

C. The attorney for the Commonwealth or a member of the electoral board of any county or city may make a request, in writing, that the Attorney General appoint a committee to make an immediate investigation of the election practices in that city or county, accompanied by a statement under oath that substantial violations of this title have allegedly occurred which may alter or have altered the outcome of an election. On receipt of the request and statement, the Attorney General shall forthwith appoint a committee of two or more persons qualified to make the investigation. Members, officers, and employees of the Board, local electoral boards, and registrars’ offices shall not serve on the committee but may provide assistance to the committee.

The Attorney General shall direct the committee to observe, investigate or supervise the election if supervision appears necessary. The committee shall make a preliminary report to the Attorney General within five days of its appointment. If its report shows that violations of this title have occurred, the Attorney General may, notwithstanding any other provision of law, authorize the prosecution of those responsible for the violations.

Code 1950, § 24-27; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-21; 1989, c. 111; 1993, c. 641; 2002, cc. 785, 819; 2013, c. 768.

The was made public record and is recorded in the State Board of Elections Meeting minutes for April 2022, on line 248, below;