Politics & Government

Board of Elections: Beware of 'Vote by Phone' Scam

Virginia State Board of Elections says scammers solicit votes over the phone.

The Virginia State Board of Elections said Friday voters — particularly older Virginians — are receiving phone calls from unidentified individuals informing them they can vote over the phone. 

"This information is false," the SBE said in a release. "Virginia law does not permit voting through the telephone. Apart from voting at the polls on Election Day, eligible Virginians may vote an absentee ballot by mail or in-person at the registrar’s office or other authorized satellite location."

SBE said it was not clear how widespread the scam calls had been. Voting cannot be done via the phone, email, or any other means than absentee voting by mail and in-person during the absentee voting period or on Election Day, the board said.

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"These calls may violate several state and federal laws and the State Board of Elections will alert appropriate law enforcement authorities  regarding this matter and provide new information if SBE receives additional voter complaints," SBE said in a release. 

If you receive a call matching this description, SBE recommends asking for the name, phone number, and organization from where the individual is calling. Then, contact the State Board of Elections at 800-552-9745 and provide a staff member with that information.

Find out what's happening in Viennawith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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