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2008 SESSION

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Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections

Chairman: Janet D. Howell

Clerk: Charles Shotton
Staff: Mary Spain, Jack Austin
Date of Meeting: February 5, 2008
Time and Place: 4:00 PM, Senate Room A

S.B. 35

Patron: Deeds

Elections; recount procedures.  Requires hard copy optical scan ballots to be rerun through appropriately programmed tabulators in recount proceedings. Present law provides that the tabulator printout will be sufficient unless it is unclear or the court orders the ballots to be rerun. 

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-802 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections; recount procedures.

080589220

S.B. 52

Patron: Whipple

Elections; voting equipment; wireless communications at polling places. Provides exceptions to the prohibition on wireless communications to or from voting devices at the polls on election day. First, wireless communications to transmit results from voting equipment by modem to the electoral board after the polls close is permitted. Second, electronic pollbooks may be used.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-625.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections equipment; wireless communications at polling places.

087061352

S.B. 292

Patron: Herring

Elections; recounts; random audits of optical scan tabulators.  Provides for a random audit of optical scan tabulators after each election to take place within 24 hours after initial vote counts are completed and before the election results are certified. The State Board of Elections will establish procedures for the audits, hand counts, and evaluating discrepancies between hand counts and tabulator tallies. The bill also requires that recount officials select a random sample of at least five percent of the optical scan tabulators used in the election being recounted and that the paper ballots counted by those tabulators be recounted by hand. If the hand count detects machine errors, then the recount officials may designate additional machines to hand count.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-669 and 24.2-802 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 24.2-671.1, relating to elections; recounts; random audits of optical scan tabulators.

087659248

S.B. 343

Patron: Cuccinelli

Transfer of state toll facilities.  Requires prior approval by local referendum of any contract or agreement that would transfer control of a state toll facility to any non-Commonwealth public or private entity.

A BILL to require a local referendum prior to agreements or contracts transferring responsibility for toll facilities controlled by an agency or institution of the Commonwealth to a non-Commonwealth public or private entity.

082246216

S.B. 536

Patron: Barker

Elections; certification of voting equipment. Provides for additional testing of voting equipment in the certification process by individuals with expertise in election management, handicapped accessibility, and computer system security. The bill also requires decertification of a product if the vendor fails to supply annual updates on the security and functionality of the product, and it gives the State Board of Elections explicit authority to decertify products based on problems in Virginia or those reported by federal or other state officials.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-629 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections; certification of voting equipment.

087641248

S.B. 554

Patron: Obenshain

Elections; voter identification requirements; absentee voting eligibility and procedures.  Revises the list of items that a voter may show to prove identification at the polls. The bill adds to the list several items now allowed to prove the identity of first-time voters for federal elections: a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, or paycheck that shows the name and address of the voter. The bill deletes the provision that allows a voter to sign a sworn statement that he is the named registered voter he claims to be in lieu of showing identification.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-643, 24.2-651.1, 24.2-653, and 24.2-701 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections; voter identification requirements; absentee voting eligibility and procedures.

086243288

S.B. 685

Patron: Colgan

Elections; acquisition of voting equipment by localities; securing voting equipment after the election. Deletes the provision enacted in 2007 that prohibits the acquisition of direct recording electronic (DRE) machines by any locality on and after July 1, 2007. The bill also modifies provisions for securing voting equipment after an election by providing that certain devices do not need to be locked and sealed for 15 days after the election if they are secured by the removal of a memory card, cartridge or other data storage medium and the card, cartridge or other medium is sealed and delivered to the circuit court clerk.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-626 and 24.2-659 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections; acquisition of voting equipment by localities; securing voting equipment after the election.

088881212

S.B. 790

Patron: Cuccinelli

Nominating candidates for office; exceptions. Repeals § 24.2-509 (B), which provides the method of making party nominations.

A BILL to repeal § 24.2-509 (B) of the Code of Virginia, relating to party to determine method of nominating its candidates for office; exceptions.

089873216