The laws governing voter registration must be maintained so as to safeguard the voting privilege of the citizens of the Commonwealth. From time to time inaccuracies and conflicts arise in the relevant laws. It then becomes necessary to review the statutes in order to correct and improve them. With this in mind the General Assembly of 1960 passed Senate Joint Resolution No. 52 creating the Commission on Registration.

Garland Gray of Waverly, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections, appointed Senators E. Almer Ames, Jr., of Onancock, Lloyd C. Bird of Chesterfield, and Curry Carter of Staunton, all members of the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections as members of the Commission. John Warren Cooke of Mathews, Chairman of the Committee on Privileges and Elections of the House of Delegates, appointed J. L. Camblos of Big Stone Gap, Robert L. Clark of Stuart, Delamater Davis of Norfolk, John M. Peck, Jr., of Fincastle, D. French Slaughter, Jr., of Culpeper, and James M. Thomson, Alexandria, all members of the House Committee on Privileges and Elections, as members of the Commission. Kenneth C. Patty, Assistant Attorney General, served Ex Officio.

Mr. Cooke was elected Chairman and Mr. Camblos was elected Vice-Chairman. John B. Boatwright, Jr., and Fletcher W. Harkrader, Jr., served as Secretary and Recording Secretary, respectively. Mr. Levin Nock Davis, Secretary of the State Board of Elections, was asked to meet with the Commission in an advisory capacity. Mr. Davis did so and his advice and recommendations were most helpful.

The Commission gathered considerable material, including the registration laws of other states, in order to keep advised of developments in this field in other sections of the country.

The Commission invited local election officials to appear before it and present their views on the existing registration laws and their suggestions for changes. Hearings for this purpose were conducted in Richmond on January 23, 1961, and in Roanoke on April 10, 1961. The Commission profited from the views presented at these hearings. After a thorough review of the Virginia laws, consideration of the suggestions made by local election officials and a comparative analysis of the statutes of other states, the Commission makes the following recommendations.