Town Receives Pre-clearance to Move Town Elections

The Leesburg Town Attorney’s Office announced Monday that the town has received preclearance from the U.S. Department of Justice, under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, to move town elections for mayor and council from May to November in even-numbered years. The elections will continue to be nonpartisan.

Last November, a referendum to move Town of Leesburg elections from May to November . In March 2012, the Virginia General Assembly approved an amendment to the Leesburg Town Charter, changing the date of town elections and providing that the town elections would continue to be nonpartisan. 

Senator Mark Herring and Delegate Randy Minchew sponsored the Leesburg Town Charter Amendment. In May 2012, the Town submitted the approved Town Charter amendment to the U.S. Department of Justice for pre-clearance.