Virginia GOP does away with March 1 Primary Day statement of affiliation

Virginia voters who want to vote in the March 1 Republican Primary for presidential candidates will not have to sign a “statement of affiliation” after all.

The Republican Party of Virginia’s (RPV) State Central Committee (SCC) voted unanimously by acclimation yesterday, Jan. 30, to rescind the Statement of Affiliation tied to the voting in the Republican Primary on March 1, 2016.

RPV attributed the change of heart to the Va. Department of Elections and Attorney General Mark. Herring.

“The SCC originally had approved the statement in September 2015, but the Democrat-controlled State Board of Elections altered and adopted a form - created by the Department of Elections - that retained only 9 of the original 47 words written and adopted by the SCC,” according to an RPV statement.

The statement went on to state that “Attorney General Mark Herring compounded the problem with the addition of confusing legal guidance that would have made the day of the Republican Presidential Primary a logistical nightmare.”

Corey Stewart, Virginia chairman of the Donald Trump for President campaign, issued a press release stating, Donald J. Trump for President, Virginia Chairman, Corey Stewart issued the following statement

“Rescinding this “Affiliation Statement” will allow the Virginia Republican Party to become that bigger, better more welcoming and diverse party that can Make America Great Again. I would like to offer my congratulation to the RPV for making this decision. It is the right decision for the GOP, it is right for Virginia, and it is right for our Republic.”

Stewart is chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors and a candidate for the GOP nomination for Governor of Virginia.