Signed by Governor Ralph Northam

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with senate amendments and pass a bill that requires the establishment of drop-box locations.

Highlights:

• Requires the Department of Elections to make available to all localities a tool to allow a voter with a visual impairment or print disability to electronically and accessibly receive and mark his absentee ballot using screen reader assistive technology. The Department will develop instructions regarding the use and availability of the tool, including instructions on making the tool available to voters and counting ballots voted with the tool (Sec. 1).

• Requires a mailed absentee ballot to be returned using the following methods (Sec. 1-24.2-707):

• By mail to the office of the general registrar;

• By the voter in person to the general registrar; or

• To a drop-off location

• Establishes absentee ballots will be collected at least daily by (Sec. 1-24.2-707.1.D):

• Two officers of election or electoral board members representing the two major political parties where practicable; or

• Two employees from the office of the general registrar, unless the drop-off location is in the office of the general registrar, in which case the general registrar or an assistant general registrar may collect the absentee ballots.

• Prohibits a voter affirmation statement from being deemed to be incomplete on the sole basis of the voter's failure to provide the following (Sec. 24.2-709.1.A)

• His full name or his middle initial, as long as the voter provided his full first and last name; or

• The date, or any part of the date, including the year, on which he signed the statement.

• Specifies if the voter affirmation has been completed as required, the general registrar may open the sealed ballot envelope and insert the ballot in optical scan counting equipment or other secure ballot container without initiating any ballot count totals (Sec. 24.2-709.1.B).

• Establishes any absentee ballot that meets the following requirements will be counted if the voter is found entitled to vote (Sec. 24.2-709.C):

• Received after the close of the polls on any election day;

• 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;

• Requested on or before but not sent by the deadline for making absentee ballots available; and

• Cast by a covered voter.

• Requires the following to apply only to those localities not using an electronic pollbook. On the day before the election, the general registrar will (Sec. 24.2-710.A):

• Make out in triplicate on a form prescribed by the State Board the absentee voter applicant list containing the names of all persons who applied for an absentee ballot through the third day before the election; and

• By noon on the day before the election, deliver two copies of the list to the electoral board.

• Requires the general registrar to deliver all applications for absentee ballots for the election, under seal, to the clerk of the circuit court for the county or city, except that the general registrar may retain all applications for absentee ballots until the electoral board has ascertained the results of the election, and has determined the validity of and counted all provisional ballots at which point all applications will then be delivered, under seal, to the clerk of the circuit court for the county or city (Sec. 24.2-711.B).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with house amendments and further amend bill that requires the establishment of drop-box locations.

Highlights:

• Requires the Department of Elections to make available to all localities a tool to allow a voter with a visual impairment or print disability to electronically and accessibly receive and mark his absentee ballot using screen reader assistive technology. The Department will develop instructions regarding the use and availability of the tool, including instructions on making the tool available to voters and counting ballots voted with the tool (Sec. 1).

• Requires a mailed absentee ballot to be returned using the following methods (Sec. 1-24.2-707):

• By mail to the office of the general registrar;

• By the voter in person to the general registrar; or

• To a drop-off location

• Establishes absentee ballots will be collected at least daily by (Sec. 1-24.2-707.1.D):

• Two officers of election or electoral board members representing the two major political parties where practicable; or

• Two employees from the office of the general registrar, unless the drop-off location is in the office of the general registrar, in which case the general registrar or an assistant general registrar may collect the absentee ballots.

• Prohibits a voter affirmation statement from being deemed to be incomplete on the sole basis of the voter's failure to provide the following (Sec. 24.2-709.1.A)

• His full name or his middle initial, as long as the voter provided his full first and last name; or

• The date, or any part of the date, including the year, on which he signed the statement.

• Specifies if the voter affirmation has been completed as required, the general registrar may open the sealed ballot envelope and insert the ballot in optical scan counting equipment or other secure ballot container without initiating any ballot count totals (Sec. 24.2-709.1.B).

• Establishes any absentee ballot that meets the following requirements will be counted if the voter is found entitled to vote (Sec. 24.2-709.C):

• Received after the close of the polls on any election day;

• 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;

• Requested on or before but not sent by the deadline for making absentee ballots available; and

• Cast by a covered voter.

• Requires the following to apply only to those localities not using an electronic pollbook. On the day before the election, the general registrar will (Sec. 24.2-710.A):

• Make out in triplicate on a form prescribed by the State Board the absentee voter applicant list containing the names of all persons who applied for an absentee ballot through the third day before the election; and

• By noon on the day before the election, deliver two copies of the list to the electoral board.

• Requires the general registrar to deliver all applications for absentee ballots for the election, under seal, to the clerk of the circuit court for the county or city, except that the general registrar may retain all applications for absentee ballots until the electoral board has ascertained the results of the election, and has determined the validity of and counted all provisional ballots at which point all applications will then be delivered, under seal, to the clerk of the circuit court for the county or city (Sec. 24.2-711.B).

Full Bill Text