Covington, VA -(Ammoland.com)- Two quick messages from the VA-ALERT.
Is Carry Legal at a Polling Place?
There is no law against carrying at a polling place, HOWEVER:
You cannot carry at a polling place in a K-12 school.
The gun must be unloaded and left in a closed compartment or container in your vehicle – that is simply state law for guns on school property, which currently has no exception for when a school is being used as a polling place. (You can carry a pocket knife with a metal blade that is less than 3-inches long.)
You cannot carry in a courthouse, as carry there is illegal at all times.
The gun, ammunition, and any other weapon must be left in your vehicle, but can be loaded.
Churches can ban guns on their property as a private property owner.
So if they see you have a gun, they can ask you to leave. If you refuse to do so, then you could be charged with trespass.
There is no law that says someone working at the polls (if not in a prohibited area, like a school or a courthouse) cannot be armed.
If the person in charge of the polling place believes someone is trying to intimidate voters, he can order that person to leave and the person must do so.
While a holstered, openly carried gun should not be an issue as long as the gun owner is simply going about their business of voting, concealed carry pretty much guarantees that there won’t be an issue, even when around irrational gun-haters.
Donald Trump Jr. stopped by the VCDL booth in Dale City today!
You never know who will stop by our booth. If you haven’t worked a VCDL booth, please consider doing so in the future!
Here’s the photo:
About Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL):
Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL). VCDL is an all-volunteer, non-partisan grassroots organization dedicated to defending the human rights of all Virginians. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms is a fundamental human right.
For more information, visit: www.vcdl.org.