Posted on: October 23, 2023, 12:31h. 

Last updated on: October 23, 2023, 12:31h.

Opponents of a proposed new casino in Richmond, Virginia have successfully won a federal lawsuit to acquire contact information for registered voters within the city. This victory assists their ongoing fight against the establishment of a new casino in the area.

Paul Goldman, a local activist and founder of No Means No Casino, took legal action against the state board, claiming that he was unfairly denied access to voter lists typically accessible to political candidates and organizations. Initially filed in city court, the case was escalated to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, where a trial recently took place.

As of late Friday, a federal judge has ordered the board to disclose a list of voters who participated in the previous election. According to state law, these lists can be made available to qualified groups or organizations including political candidates, political action committees, and non-profits that promote voter participation.

The proposed $562 million casino project in Richmond, supported by Urban One and Churchill Downs, is backed by city leaders. However, a close vote is expected due to a similar ballot measure being narrowly rejected by city voters two years ago.

Negotiations ‘In Progress’

M. Hannah Lauck, the district court judge, has also instructed Goldman and the Elections Board to engage in negotiations to resolve the issue of Goldman’s access to separate lists containing all registered voters in Richmond.

These lists allow groups to communicate with potential voters leading up to an election. However, Goldman claims that he was informed he could only access the information if he submitted his proposed communications for review.

Virginia Elections Commissioner Susan Beals stated in court earlier this month that the board was not seeking to review Goldman’s potential communications prior to their distribution.

Goldman has informed Casino.org that discussions with the board regarding access to the registered voters list are currently ongoing. A spokesperson for the Board of Elections has yet to respond to a request for comment.

Early Voting Underway Since Last Month

Unfortunately, the ruling comes too late to reach the thousands of Richmonders who have already cast their ballots in this year’s election. Early voting in Virginia began on September 22, and data from the Virginia Public Access Project reveals that nearly 7,400 ballots had been submitted in Richmond by Sunday.

During the previous election, a total of 105,268 votes were cast on the Richmond casino referendum, with 26,275 votes submitted prior to Election Day. It is important to note that the 2021 election also involved a highly contested governor’s race in Virginia, indicating that turnout may be lower this year.

In the past, early voters were generally more inclined to support the casino, particularly those who voted in person. Mail-in early votes narrowly favored the casino with a 50.2% to 49.8% margin, while in-person early voters supported the casino by a 54% to 46% margin.

Election Day voters were narrowly against the casino, with a margin of 51% to 49%, mirroring the overall defeat of the casino measure.

Precincts located on Richmond’s South Side, closer to the proposed casino site, were more likely to support the measure compared to those in the northern part of the city.

Urban One and Churchill Downs have invested over $8 million to support the casino ballot measure this year. In an effort to encourage voter turnout, supporters have arranged free Uber rides for voters to reach the polling stations early.

Goldman’s group has a budget of approximately $200,000 to oppose the casino, a disadvantage that has been further exacerbated by the delay in receiving the voter lists.