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2013 SESSION

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Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections

Chairman: Mark D. Obenshain

Clerk: Maribeth Turner, Jocelyn Lance
Staff: M. Spain, D. Cotter, J. Austin
Date of Meeting: January 18, 2013
Time and Place: Friday, Jan. 18, 1/2 Hour after Adjournment, Senate Room A

S.B. 883 Voter registration cards; general registrar shall issue & mail new card each year.

Patron: Deeds

Voter registration cards. Provides that the general registrar shall issue and mail a new Virginia voter registration card to all registered voters in his county or city no later than October 1 of each year.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-417 of the Code of Virginia, relating to voter registration cards.

13101191D

S.B. 964 Elections; extension of polling hours from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Patron: Ebbin

Hours polls to be open. Provides that polls shall close at 8:00 p.m. rather than 7:00 p.m.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-603 of the Code of Virginia, relating to hours polls to be open.

13101015D

S.B. 967 Absentee ballot; eliminates requirement applicant provide reason cannot vote at polling place.

Patron: Ebbin

Application for absentee ballot. Eliminates the requirement that a person applying for an absentee ballot provide additional information regarding the reason the applicant will be absent or cannot vote at his polling place on the day of the election.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-701 of the Code of Virginia, relating to application for absentee ballot.

13101139D

S.B. 968 Absentee ballots; officers of election shall not reject ballot if middle name is not on envelope.

Patron: Ebbin

Absentee ballots. Provides that officers of election shall not reject an absentee ballot on the basis that the voter failed to include a middle name or initial on the ballot envelope if such failure is not material to determining whether the individual is entitled to vote absentee.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-711 of the Code of Virginia, relating to duties of officers of election; absentee ballots.

13101144D

S.B. 1062 Elections; reforms to improve voter access to polls.

Patron: Herring

Elections; voter access reforms. Provides for numerous reforms to improve voter access to the polls, including (i) extending the hour that polls close on election day from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; (ii) allowing for early voting by qualified voters for a period from 10 to three days before the election, or eight to three days before a special election, at the office of the general registrar or secretary of the electoral board and other approved locations; (iii) shortening the deadline to register to vote from 21 days before a general or primary election and either six or 13 days before special elections to three days before any election, which would be the last day of the early voting period; and (iv) authorizing the Secretary of the State Board of Elections to establish a pilot program to allow members of the military on active duty and their spouses, citizens residing outside of the United States, and military voters with disabilities or injuries to vote absentee by secure electronic means or other new technologies. The bill also provides that the State Board shall implement a system to accept absentee ballot applications electronically. Currently, an applicant may request and receive, but not submit, an absentee ballot application electronically. The bill also requires the State Board, in conjunction with the Department of Emergency Management, to create a written plan addressing the continuity of operations of elections in the event of an emergency. The bill also requires that the State Board perform periodic reviews of the conduct of elections and, based on the findings of such reviews, develop a written plan for minimizing the amount of time a voter has to wait to cast his vote on election day.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-103, 24.2-416, 24.2-416.4, 24.2-603, and 24.2-701 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 24.2-700.1 and by adding in Chapter 7 of Title 24.2 a section numbered 24.2-714, relating to elections; voter access reforms.

13103449D

S.B. 1150 Elections; minimizing voting lines.

Patron: Barker

Elections; minimizing voting lines. Requires each electoral board to develop a plan to ensure that no voter waits for more than one hour to cast his vote on election day. Each board would submit to the State Board of Elections and the governing body of the city or county of the electoral board a list of resources necessary, including the optimum number of officers of election, pollbooks, ballots, and other voting equipment, to implement the plan. The bill also provides that officers of election may work in multiple precincts throughout election day.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-109 and 24.2-115.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections; minimizing voting lines.

13103374D