Source: https://legiscan.com/VA/text/SB1672/2019
Timestamp: 2019-10-17 06:32:27
Document Index: 39819987

Matched Legal Cases: ['§24', '§24', '§24', '§20302', '§3', '§20102', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§101', '§20301', '§103', '§20303', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§20301', '§24', '§ 20301', '§ 24', '§24', '§18', '§65', '§27', '§18', '§32', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§20301', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§37', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§ 24', '§24', '§101', '§20301', '§21083', '§24', '§24', '§20301', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§ 24', '§24', '§24', '§ 24', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§24', '§20301']

Bill Text: VA SB1672 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced | LegiScan
Bill Text: VA SB1672 | 2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Virginia Senate Bill 1672 (Prior Session Legislation)
VA State Legislature page for SB1672
Bill Title: Absentee voting; no-excuse absentee.
Status: (Introduced) 2019-01-29 - Stricken at request of Patron in Privileges and Elections (13-Y 0-N) [SB1672 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2019-SB1672-Introduced.html
19102230D
SENATE BILL NO. 1672 Offered January 11, 2019 A BILL to amend and reenact §§24.2-416.1, 24.2-452, 24.2-612, 24.2-700, 24.2-701, 24.2-702.1, 24.2-703.1, 24.2-703.2, 24.2-706, 24.2-709, and 24.2-1004 of the Code of Virginia, relating to absentee voting; no-excuse absentee. ---------- Patron-- Locke ---------- Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections ----------
1. That §§24.2-416.1, 24.2-452, 24.2-612, 24.2-700, 24.2-701, 24.2-702.1, 24.2-703.1, 24.2-703.2, 24.2-706, 24.2-709, and 24.2-1004 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:
§24.2-416.1. Voter registration by mail.
B. Any person, who applies to register to vote by mail pursuant to this article and who has not previously voted in the county or city in which he registers to vote, shall be required to vote in person, either at the polls on election day or in-person absentee. However, this requirement to vote in person shall not apply to a person so long as he (i) is entitled to vote by absentee ballot under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. §20302 et seq.); (ii) is provided the right to vote otherwise than in person under §3(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act (52 U.S.C. §20102(b)(2)(B)(ii)), including any disabled voter and any voter age 65 or older who is otherwise qualified to vote absentee under §24.2-700; (iii) is entitled to vote otherwise than in person under other federal law; (iv) is a full-time student in an institution of higher education; or (v) requests to vote an absentee ballot by mail for presidential and vice-presidential elections only, for any reason, as entitled by federal law.
§24.2-452. Definitions.
b. A uniformed-service voter defined in subdivision 9 a whose voting residence is in this state and who otherwise satisfies this state's voter eligibility requirements, including subdivision 2 of §24.2-700;
3. "Federal postcard application" means the application prescribed under §101(b)(2) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 52 U.S.C. §20301(b)(2).
4. "Federal write-in absentee ballot" means the ballot described in §103 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 52 U.S.C. §20303, that may be used in all elections in which the voter is eligible to vote as provided in §24.2-702.1.
§24.2-612. List of offices and candidates filed with Department of Elections and checked for accuracy; when ballots printed; number required.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this title, the Department of Elections may print or otherwise provide one statewide paper ballot style for each paper ballot style in use for presidential and vice-presidential electors for use only by persons eligible to vote for those offices only under §24.2-402 or only for federal elections under §24.2-453. The Department of Elections may apportion or authorize the printer or vendor to apportion the costs for these ballots among the localities based on the number of ballots ordered. Any printer employed by the Department of Elections shall execute the statement required by §24.2-616. The Department of Elections shall designate a representative to be present at the printing of such ballots and deliver them to the appropriate general registrars pursuant to §24.2-617. Upon receipt of such paper ballots, the electoral board or the general registrar shall affix the seal of the electoral board. Thereafter, such ballots shall be handled and accounted for, and the votes counted as the Department of Elections shall specifically direct.
The general registrar shall make printed ballots available for absentee voting not later than 45 days prior to any election or within three business days of the receipt of a properly completed absentee ballot application, whichever is later. In the case of a special election, excluding for federal offices, if time is insufficient to meet the applicable deadline established herein, then the general registrar shall make printed ballots available as soon after the deadline as possible. For the purposes of this chapter, making printed ballots available includes mailing of such ballots or electronic transmission of such ballots pursuant to §24.2-706 to a qualified absentee voter who is eligible for an absentee ballot under subdivision 2 of §24.2-700 covered voter, as defined in §24.2-452. Not later than five days after absentee ballots are made available, each general registrar shall report to the Department of Elections, in writing on a form approved by the Department of Elections, whether he has complied with the applicable deadline.
The following Any registered voters voter may vote by absentee ballot in accordance with the provisions of this chapter in any election in which they are he is qualified to vote:
An application that is completed in person at the same time that the applicant registers to vote shall be held and processed no sooner than the fifth day after the date that the applicant registered to vote; however, this requirement shall not be applicable to any person who is qualified to vote absentee under subdivision 2 of §24.2-700 covered voter, as defined in §24.2-452.
2. Any other application may be made by mail, by electronic or telephonic transmission to a facsimile device if one is available to the office of the general registrar or to the office of the State Board if a device is not available locally, or by other means. The application shall be on a form furnished by the registrar or, if made under subdivision 2 of §24.2-700, may be on a federal postcard application prescribed pursuant to 52 U.S.C. §20301(b)(2). The federal postcard application may be accepted the later of (i) 12 months before an election or (ii) the day following any election held in the twelfth month prior to the election in which the applicant is applying to vote. The application shall be made to the appropriate registrar no later than 5:00 p.m. on the seventh day prior to the election in which the applicant offers to vote as specified in subdivision 3.
3. The application of any covered voter, as defined in §24.2-452, may be on a federal postcard application prescribed pursuant to 52 U.S.C. § 20301(b)(2). The federal postcard application may be accepted the later of (i) 12 months before an election or (ii) the day following any election held in the twelfth month prior to the election in which the applicant is applying to vote. The application shall be made to the appropriate registrar no later than 5:00 p.m. on the seventh day prior to the election in which the applicant offers to vote.
1. The applicant's printed name, and the last four digits of the applicant's social security number, and the reason the applicant will be absent or cannot vote at his polling place on the day of the election. However, an applicant completing the application in person shall not be required to provide the last four digits of his social security number;
2. A statement that he is registered in the county or city in which he offers to vote and his residence address in such county or city. Any person temporarily residing outside the United States shall provide the last date of residency at his Virginia residence address, if that residence is no longer available to him. Any person who makes application under subdivision 2 of § 24.2-700 covered voter, as defined in §24.2-452, who is not a registered voter may file the applications to register and for a ballot simultaneously; and
13. In the case of a law-enforcement officer, as defined in §18.2-51.1; firefighter, as defined in §65.2-102; volunteer firefighter, as defined in §27-42; search and rescue personnel, as defined in §18.2-51.1; or emergency medical services personnel, as defined in §32.1-111.1, that he is a first responder; or
§24.2-702.1. Federal write-in absentee ballots.
A. Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, a qualified absentee voter who is eligible for an absentee ballot under subdivision 2 of §24.2-700 covered voter, as defined in §24.2-452, may use a federal write-in absentee ballot in any election. Such ballot shall be submitted and processed in the manner provided by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. §20301 et seq.) and this article.
B. Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, a federal write-in absentee ballot submitted pursuant to subsection A shall be considered valid for purposes of simultaneously satisfying both an absentee ballot application and a completed absentee ballot, provided that the ballot is received no later than the deadline for the return of absentee ballots as provided in §24.2-709 for the election in which the voter offers to vote, and the application contains the following information: (i) the voter's signature; however, if the voter is unable to sign, the person assisting the voter will note this fact in the voter signature box; (ii) the voter's printed name; (iii) the county or city in which he is registered and offers to vote; (iv) the residence address at which he is registered to vote; (v) his current military or overseas address; and (vi) the signature of a witness who shall sign the same application.
C. This section shall not be construed to require that an absentee ballot be sent to the absentee voter on receipt of a federal write-in absentee ballot unless the voter has also submitted an absentee ballot application pursuant to §24.2-701 or 24.2-703.
§24.2-703.1. Special annual applications for absentee ballots for certain ill or disabled voters.
Any person who is eligible for an absentee ballot under subdivision 4 of §24.2-700 because of a disability or illness and who is likely to remain so eligible with a disability or illness whose disability or illness is likely to continue for the remainder of the calendar year shall be eligible to file a special annual application to receive ballots for all elections in which he is eligible to vote in a calendar year. His first such application shall be accompanied by a statement, on a form prescribed by the State Board and signed by the voter and his physician, provider as defined in §37.2-403, or accredited religious practitioner, that the voter is eligible for an absentee ballot under subdivision 4 of §24.2-700 and likely to remain so eligible is a person with a disability or illness whose disability or illness is likely to continue for the remainder of the calendar year.
§24.2-703.2. Replacement absentee ballots for certain disabled or ill voters; penalty.
A voter seeking to cast an absentee ballot may obtain a replacement absentee ballot subject to the following conditions: (i) the voter applied for an absentee ballot under subdivision 4 of §24.2-700 because of a disability or illness; (ii) the application was approved and an absentee ballot mailed to the voter; and (iii) the voter A person with a disability or illness who has applied for and has been sent an absentee ballot who did not receive or has lost the absentee ballot on or before the Saturday before the election may obtain a replacement absentee ballot. In such case, the voter may request a replacement absentee ballot by the close of business for the local elections office on the Saturday before election day and designate, in writing, a representative to obtain a replacement absentee ballot on his behalf from the general registrar and to return the properly completed ballot as directed by the general registrar no later than the close of polls on the day of election for which the absentee ballot is valid. The representative shall be age eighteen 18 or older and shall not be an elected official, a candidate for elected office, or the deputy, spouse, parent, or child of an elected official or candidate. The voter and representative shall complete the form prescribed by the State Board to implement the provisions of this section. The form shall include a statement signed by the voter that he did not receive the ballot or has lost the ballot. Statements on the form shall be subject to felony penalties for making false statements pursuant to §24.2-1016.
§24.2-706. Duty of general registrar on receipt of application; statement of voter.
On receipt of an application for an absentee ballot, the general registrar shall enroll the name and address of each registered applicant on an absentee voter applicant list that shall be maintained in the office of the general registrar with a file of the applications of the listed applicants. The list shall be available for inspection and copying and the applications shall be available for inspection only by any registered voter during regular office hours. Upon request and for a reasonable fee, the Department of Elections shall provide an electronic copy of the absentee voter applicant list to any political party or candidate. Such list shall be used only for campaign and political purposes. Any list made available for inspection and copying under this section shall contain the post office box address in lieu of the residence street address for any individual who has furnished at the time of registration or subsequently, in addition to his street address, a post office box address pursuant to subsection B of § 24.2-418.
The completion and timely delivery of an application for an absentee ballot shall be construed to be an offer by the applicant to vote in the election.
If the application has been properly completed and signed and the applicant is a registered voter of the precinct in which he offers to vote, the general registrar shall, at the time when the printed ballots for the election are available, send by the deadline set out in §24.2-612, obtaining a certificate or other evidence of either first-class or expedited mailing or delivery from the United States Postal Service or other commercial delivery provider, or deliver to him in person in the office of the registrar, the following items and nothing else:
For elections held after January 1, 2004, instead of the envelope containing the above oath, However, an envelope containing the standard oath prescribed by the presidential designee under §101(b)(7) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. §20301 et seq.) shall be sent to voters who are qualified to vote absentee under that Act instead of the envelope containing the above oath.
For federal elections held after January 1, 2004, for any voter who is required by subparagraph (b) of 52 U.S.C. §21083 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to show identification the first time the voter votes in a federal election in the state, the printed instructions shall direct the voter to submit with his ballot (i) a copy of a current and valid photo identification or (ii) a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter. Such individual who desires to vote by mail but who does not submit one of the forms of identification specified in this paragraph may cast such ballot by mail and the ballot shall be counted as a provisional ballot under the provisions of §24.2-653. The Department of Elections shall provide instructions to the electoral boards for the handling and counting of such provisional ballots pursuant to subsection B of §24.2-653 and this section.
5. For any voter entitled to vote absentee under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. §20301 et seq.), information provided by the Department of Elections specific to the voting rights and responsibilities for such citizens, or information provided by the registrar specific to the status of the voter registration and absentee ballot application of such voter, may be included.
If the applicant makes his application to vote in person under §24.2-701 at a time when the printed ballots for the election are available, the general registrar, on the determination of the qualifications of the applicant to vote, shall provide to the applicant the items set forth in subdivisions 1 through 4, and no item shall be removed by the applicant from the office of the general registrar. On the request of the applicant, made no later than 5:00 p.m. on the seventh day prior to the election in which the applicant offers to vote, the general registrar may send the items set forth in subdivisions 1 through 4 to the applicant by mail, obtaining a certificate or other evidence of mailing.
If the applicant states as the reason for his absence on election day any of the reasons set forth in subdivision 2 of §24.2-700 is a covered voter, as defined in §24.2-452, the general registrar, at the time when the printed ballots for the election are available, shall mail by the deadline set forth in §24.2-612 or deliver in person to the applicant in the office of the general registrar the items as set forth in subdivisions 1 through 4 and, if necessary, an application for registration. A certificate or other evidence of mailing shall not be required. If the applicant requests that such items be sent by electronic transmission, the general registrar, at the time when the printed ballots for the election are available but not later than the deadline set forth in §24.2-612, shall send by electronic transmission the blank ballot, the form for the envelope for returning the marked ballot, and instructions to the voter. Such materials shall be sent using the official email address or fax number of the office of the general registrar published on the Department of Elections website. The State Board of Elections may prescribe by regulation the format of the email address used for transmitting ballots to eligible voters. A general registrar may also use electronic transmission facilities provided by the Federal Voting Assistance Program. The voted ballot shall be returned to the general registrar as otherwise required by this chapter.
When the statement prescribed in subdivision 2 has been properly completed and signed by the registered voter and witnessed, his ballot shall not be subject to challenge pursuant to §24.2-651.
The circuit courts shall have jurisdiction to issue an injunction to enforce the provisions of this section upon the application of (i) any aggrieved voter, (ii) any candidate in an election district in whole or in part in the court's jurisdiction where a violation of this section has occurred, or is likely to occur, or (iii) the campaign committee or the appropriate district political party chairman of such candidate. Any person who fails to discharge his duty as provided in this section through willful neglect of duty and with malicious intent shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor as provided in subsection A of §24.2-1001.
§24.2-709. Ballot to be returned in manner prescribed by law.
B. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, absentee ballots (i) received after the close of the polls on any election day, (ii) received before 5:00 p.m. on the second business day before the State Board meets to ascertain the results of the election pursuant to this title, (iii) requested on or before but not sent by the deadline for making absentee ballots available under §24.2-612, and (iv) cast by an absentee voter who is eligible for an absentee ballot under subdivision 2 of § 24.2-700 a covered voter, as defined in §24.2-452, shall be counted pursuant to the procedures set forth in this chapter and, if the voter is found entitled to vote, included in the election returns. The electoral board shall prepare an amended certified abstract, which shall include the results of such ballots, and shall deliver such abstract to the State Board by the business day prior to its meeting pursuant to this title, and shall deliver a copy of such abstract to the general registrar to be available for inspection when his office is open for business.
C. Notwithstanding the provisions of clause (i) of subsection B of §24.2-427, an absentee ballot returned by a voter in compliance with § 24.2-707 and this section who dies prior to the counting of absentee ballots on election day shall be counted pursuant to the procedures set forth in this chapter if the voter is found to have been entitled to vote at the time that he returned the ballot.
§24.2-1004. Illegal voting and registrations.
C. Any person who intentionally (i) registers to vote at more than one residence address at the same time, whether such registrations are in Virginia or in Virginia and any other state or territory of the United States, or (ii) procures, assists, or induces another to register to vote at more than one address at the same time, whether such registrations are in Virginia or in Virginia and any other state or territory of the United States, is guilty of a Class 6 felony. This subsection shall not apply to any person who, when registering to vote, changing the address at which he is registered, transferring his registration, or assisting another in registering, changing his address, or transferring his registration, provides the information required by §24.2-418 on the applicant's place of last previous registration to vote.
D. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a person entitled to vote absentee under subdivision 2 of §24.2-700 covered voter, as defined in §24.2-452, from casting in the same election both a state ballot and a write-in absentee ballot that is processed in the manner provided by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. §20301 et seq.). If both ballots are received prior to the close of the polls on election day, the state ballot shall be counted.