There are multiple layers of administrative bodies involved in Virginia elections. At the county and city level, three-person Electoral Boards appoint General Registrars and officers of election. Electoral Boards also certify the results of local elections. General Registrars are tasked with registering voters and maintaining registration records, while officers of election handle most of the work at the polls on election day.
The three-person State Board of Elections supervises elections and adopts regulations governing local electoral boards, registrars, and officers of election. Additionally, the State Board sets voter registration standards and guidelines, and receives campaign finance filing reports from most candidates and political committees. In practice, the Department of Elections functions as the board's administrative arm, carrying out many of the board's duties.