Bill Sponsor
Virginia House Bill 1888
Session 2021
Absentee voting; procedural and process reforms, availability and accessibility reforms, penalty.
Became Law
Became Law
Signed by Governor on Mar 31, 2021
First Action
Jan 8, 2021
Latest Action
Mar 31, 2021
Origin Chamber
House
Type
Bill
Bill Number
1888
State
Virginia
Session
2021
Sponsorship by Party
House Votes (3)
Senate Votes (4)
Motion Text
VOTE: Adoption (53-Y 43-N)
House Roll Call Votes
Didn't Vote
Summary
Absentee voting; procedural and process reforms; availability and accessibility reforms; penalty. Makes various reforms to absentee voting processes and procedures, including those related to availability and accessibility. The bill requires certain actions to be taken to process absentee ballots returned before the day of an election, including verifying the correct completion of the voter affirmation statement, and provides for an opportunity for an absentee voter to make corrections to the statement in certain circumstances. The bill requires the establishment of drop-off locations for the return of voted absentee ballots. Additionally, a central absentee voter precinct is required to be established in each locality; currently, establishment is optional. On the day of the election, officers of election are required to begin processing absentee ballots in the central absentee voter precincts prior to the close of polls, but no ballot vote counts are permitted to be transmitted outside of the central absentee voter precinct before the close of polls; a violation of such prohibition is a Class 1 misdemeanor. When reporting election results to the Department of Elections, the general registrars are required to report absentee ballots cast early in person separately from all other absentee ballots. Additionally, a voter who has applied for and received an absentee ballot may choose to instead vote at his polling place on election day, and such voter shall be entitled to cast a provisional ballot. The bill requires a ballot marking tool with screen reader assistive technology to be made available for absentee voters with a print disability. Restrictions on the availability of absentee voting for first-time voters who registered by mail are repealed. The bill contains technical amendments for organizational and readability purposes. Absentee voting; procedural and process reforms; availability and accessibility reforms; penalty. Makes various reforms to absentee voting processes and procedures, including those related to availability and accessibility. The bill requires certain actions to be taken to process absentee ballots returned before the day of an election, including verifying the correct completion of the voter affirmation statement, and provides for an opportunity for an absentee voter to make corrections to the statement in certain circumstances. The bill requires the establishment of drop-off locations for the return of voted absentee ballots. Additionally, a central absentee voter precinct is required to be established in each locality; currently, establishment is optional. On the day of the election, officers of election are required to begin processing absentee ballots in the central absentee voter precincts prior to the close of polls, but no ballot vote counts are permitted to be transmitted outside of the central absentee voter precinct before the close of polls; a violation of such prohibition is a Class 1 misdemeanor. When reporting election results to the Department of Elections, the general registrars are required to report absentee ballots cast early in person separately from all other absentee ballots. Additionally, a voter who has applied for and received an absentee ballot may choose to instead vote at his polling place on election day, and such voter shall be entitled to cast a provisional ballot. The bill requires a ballot marking tool with screen reader assistive technology to be made available for absentee voters with a print disability. Restrictions on the availability of absentee voting for first-time voters who registered by mail are repealed. The bill contains technical amendments for organizational and readability purposes.
Text (4)
03/31/2021
Office of the Governor
Approved by Governor-Chapter 471 (effective 7/1/21)
03/01/2021
Office of the Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 31, 2021
03/01/2021
House
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 1, 2021
02/26/2021
House
Signed by Speaker
02/25/2021
Senate
Signed by President
02/25/2021
House
Impact statement from DPB (HB1888ER)
02/25/2021
House
Enrolled
02/23/2021
House
VOTE: Adoption (53-Y 43-N)
02/23/2021
House
Senate substitute agreed to by House 21200269D-S1 (53-Y 43-N)
02/23/2021
House
Placed on Calendar
02/19/2021
House
Impact statement from DPB (HB1888S1)
02/19/2021
Senate
Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 17-N)
02/19/2021
Senate
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute HB1888S1
02/19/2021
Senate
Committee substitute agreed to 21200269D-S1
02/19/2021
Senate
Reading of substitute waived
02/19/2021
Senate
Read third time
02/18/2021
Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N)
02/16/2021
Senate
Committee substitute printed 21200269D-S1
02/16/2021
Senate
Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (9-Y 6-N)
02/16/2021
Senate
Senate committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
02/05/2021
Senate
Continued to 2021 Sp. Sess. 1 in Privileges and Elections (15-Y 0-N)
01/22/2021
House
Impact statement from DHCD/CLG (HB1888)
01/20/2021
Senate
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
01/20/2021
Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed
01/19/2021
House
Impact statement from DPB (HB1888E)
01/19/2021
House
VOTE: Passage (55-Y 43-N)
01/19/2021
House
Read third time and passed House (55-Y 43-N)
01/18/2021
House
Printed as engrossed 21101608D-E
01/18/2021
House
Engrossed by House as amended HB1888E
01/18/2021
House
Committee amendments agreed to
01/18/2021
House
Read second time
01/15/2021
House
Read first time
01/13/2021
House
Reported from Privileges and Elections with amendment(s) (13-Y 9-N)
01/13/2021
House
House committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
01/13/2021
House
Impact statement from DPB (HB1888)
01/08/2021
House
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
01/08/2021
House
Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/21 21101608D
Sources
Record Created
Jan 9, 2021 12:03:04 AM
Record Updated
Apr 16, 2021 6:05:38 PM