ELECTIONS -- Electoral Boards -- Subject to "The Virginia Freedom of Information Act."

July 8, 1968

HONORABLE JAMES M. WOLCOTT
Chairman, Electoral Board, City of Norfolk

68-69 88

This is in reply to your letter of June 26, 1968, in which you inquire if "The Virginia Freedom of Information Act," Acts of Assembly, Ch. 479, p. 691 (1968), is applicable to local electoral boards.

Sections 2(a) and 4 of the Act make it applicable to "any authority, board, bureau, commission, district or agency of the State or of any political subdivision of the State," when sitting as a body, unless otherwise specifically provided by law. None of the exceptions contained in § 6 of the Act is applicable to electoral boards, although under § 5 provision is made for the holding of executive sessions.

In view of the foregoing, I am, therefore, of the opinion that electoral boards would be within the coverage of the Act.