Virginia's three-member local electoral boards want election-day relief from some of FOIA's procedural rules for public meetings.

How, they ask, can they provide three-day advance notice of their routine polling-place work, and how can two board members discuss even a voting-equipment breakdown without prior notice?

Rosanna Bencoach, senior policy analyst with the State Board of Elections and a member of the FOI Advisory Council, began working on the problem more than a year ago.

After several drafts, an agreement was reached in early December to waive the notice rules for operational work on election day "provided that no discussion or deliberation takes place (that) would otherwise constitute a meeting."
The proposed legislation also makes clear that media representatives may briefly visit and film inside the polling places, as long as votes remains confidential and voters agree to be photographed.