Chesterfield Revises Policies to Bar Nonpartisan Groups at Polling Places

TL;DR: Chesterfield County revised its polling place policies in June 2026 to bar nonpartisan organizations like RVA Indivisible from setting up, raising questions about civic access to voters.

The story

In June 2026, Chesterfield County revised its policies governing election and campaign activities at polling locations on county property, new rules that prevent nonpartisan civic groups from operating there. The revised policy restricts signage to those "promoting candidates or referendums" and limits tent placement to three total: one each for Democratic, Republican, and independent candidates. The policy explicitly prohibits "poll greeting tents for nonpartisan groups."

RVA Indivisible, a civic engagement organization, had planned to host "Party at the Polls" - a get-out-the-vote event featuring snacks, games, and giveaways - outside Chesterfield County's North Courthouse and Central libraries. The group partnered with eight other organizations: RVA Ice-Scream, Weekly Action RVA, Richmond Peace Education Center, the Henrico NAACP, Richmond First Unitarian Universalist, New Virginia Majority, Planned Parenthood, and Moral Monday. When the county denied their request, RVA Indivisible was unable to proceed at Chesterfield locations, though the event did move forward in other localities including Henrico County and Richmond.

The policy revision raises constitutional questions about access to polling places and civic participation. Brennan VanderVeen, program counsel at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a free speech advocacy organization, explained that Chesterfield likely operates "within its authority" because polling locations are considered limited public forums, where governments can impose narrower restrictions than they could on traditional public forums like parks or sidewalks. However, VanderVeen noted a potential complication: the policy could create issues for third-party candidates who don't fit neatly into the county's Democratic, Republican, or independent categories, such as Green Party or Libertarian candidates.

The restriction affects how Chesterfield residents can encounter nonpartisan information at voting locations and raises questions about whether such policies adequately balance security and order concerns with opportunities for civic engagement.

Key players

• RVA Indivisible: Nonpartisan group that sought to host get-out-the-vote event at polling places
• Chesterfield County: County government that revised polling place policies and denied the event
• Brennan VanderVeen: Program counsel at Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), expert on free speech implications

Why it matters: The policy determines what kinds of civic engagement Chesterfield residents can access at polling places and signals the county's stance on balancing voter access with order. As voting participation and election administration continue to evolve, similar debates over polling place access will likely shape how other jurisdictions handle nonpartisan groups seeking to engage voters.

Places

• North Courthouse Library
• Central Library

Related links

• Chesterfield County Voting and Registration
• Virginia Code Section 24.2-604: Polling Places, Prohibited Activities
• Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE)

Read the original at The Richmonder →

Sources

• Chesterfield barred a nonpartisan group from setting up outside polling places. Was it constitutional?
• RVA Indivisible
• Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression