Press Release – Coalition Expresses “Grave Concern” Over AG’s Plan to Override Federal Law
LEXINGTON, VA—Virginia Fair Elections (VFE), a coalition dedicated to ensuring free, fair, and secure elections in the Commonwealth, today expressed “grave concern” over plans by controversial Attorney General Jay Jones setting Virginia on a collision course with the Department of Justice. After previously blocking the Department of Justice from immigration enforcement efforts and access to voter rolls, Attorney General Jay Jones now risks another expensive lawsuit funded by Virginia taxpayers.
The Department of Justice operates an election monitoring program, historically run by the Civil Rights Division, to assess state and local compliance with federal voting rights laws. In an October 15th Election Bulletin circulated to General Registrars, Local Electoral Boards, Local Government Attorneys, and Circuit Court Clerks, Jay Jones advised that election officials should refuse entry to DOJ observers unless they have received advanced notice and provided permission in writing. When permission is requested, registrars are advised to “consider asking whether DOJ is assessing compliance with civil or criminal federal laws.”
In a communique dripping with sarcasm and attempts at malicious compliance with federal law, the Attorney General states that “there is currently no active Court order in Virginia requiring any locality to accept the presence of federal government “observers” under the Voting Rights Act.” Court orders are not normally required for such basic co-operation between state and federal government.
Election integrity requires not only that elections must be fair, but also that they must be seen to be fair. Virginia Fair Elections believes that fairness is not promoted when state officials block federal officials in the furtherance of their duties.
Dr. Clara Belle Wheeler, board member of Virginia Fair Elections, said “Attorney General Jay Jones is attempting to override federal law and tie the hands of local election officials, based on a lowercase opinion that has no legal leg to stand on. While groups across the country have been working transparently with the Department of Justice to ensure federal oversight, Virginia’s Attorney General is instead setting Virginia on an unnecessary and expensive collision course with federal authorities. He simply does not have the authority to block federally-authorized monitors whose job is to help ensure our elections are secure and transparent. This partisan, playground politics achieves nothing but waste taxpayers’ money eroding confidence in fair elections in the Commonwealth.”
For further information, please contact Dr. Clara Belle Wheeler via email at media@virginiainstitute.org. Click here to access the bulletin from October 15, 2026.
