A. The governing body of any county or city that adopts for use at elections direct recording electronic machines shall provide for each precinct at least the following number of voting machines:

In each precinct having not more than 750 registered voters, 1;

In each precinct having more than 750 but not more than 1,500 registered voters, 2;

In each precinct having more than 1,500 but not more than 2,250 registered voters, 3;

In each precinct having more than 2,250 but not more than 3,000 registered voters, 4;

In each precinct having more than 3,000 but not more than 3,750 registered voters, 5;

In each precinct having more than 3,750 but not more than 4,500 registered voters, 6;

In each precinct having more than 4,500 but not more than 5,000 registered voters, 7.

B. The governing body of any county or city that adopts for use at elections ballot scanner machines shall provide for each precinct at least one voting booth with a marking device for each 425 registered voters or portion thereof and shall provide for each precinct at least one scanner. However, each precinct having more than 4,000 registered voters shall be provided with not less than two scanners at a presidential election, unless the governing body, in consultation with the general registrar and the electoral board, determines that a second scanner is not necessary at any such precinct on the basis of voter turnout and the average wait time for voters in previous presidential elections.

C. The local electoral board of any county or city shall be authorized to conduct any May general election, primary election, or special election held on a date other than a November general election with the number of voting or counting machines determined by the board and the general registrar to be appropriate for each precinct, notwithstanding the provisions of subsections A and B.

D. For purposes of applying this section, a general registrar may exclude persons voting absentee in his calculations, and if he does so shall send to the Department a statement of the number of voting systems to be used in each precinct. If the State Board finds that the number of voting systems is not sufficient, it may direct the general registrar to use more voting systems.

1985, c. 458, §§ 24.1-203.1, 24.1-203.2; 1993, c. 641; 1996, c. 271; 1997, cc. 304, 336; 2010, c. 214; 2014, cc. 540, 576; 2015, cc. 667, 740; 2016, cc. 18, 492.