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2014 SESSION

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HB 759 Absentee voting and procedures; secure return of voted absentee military-overseas ballots.

Introduced by: Thomas Davis Rust | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Absentee voting and procedures; secure return of voted military-overseas ballots. Requires the State Board of Elections to provide instructions, procedures, services, a security assessment, and security measures for the secure return by electronic means of voted absentee military-overseas ballots from uniformed-service voters outside of the United States. The bill requires the State Board to develop and update annually a security assessment and security measures to ensure the accuracy and integrity of such votes. The State Board is directed to convene a working group for the development of the initial instructions, procedures, services, security assessment, and security measures, and the working group is required to submit an annual report to the Governor and General Assembly beginning January 1, 2016, on the feasibility and cost of implementation of the secure return of such military-overseas ballots. Additionally, the State Board is directed to work with federal, state, local, and other appropriate entities to establish best practices for uniformed-service voter authentication and identification and for the secure return of such military-overseas ballots. The provisions of this bill amending § 24.2-706 will not become effective unless reenacted by the 2016 Session of the General Assembly. This bill is identical to SB 11.

SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE:

Absentee voting and procedures; secure return of voted military-overseas ballots. Requires the State Board of Elections to provide instructions, procedures, services, a security assessment, and security measures for the secure return by electronic means of voted absentee military-overseas ballots from uniformed-service voters outside of the United States. The bill requires the State Board to develop and update annually a security assessment and security measures to ensure the accuracy and integrity of such votes. The State Board is directed to convene a working group for the development of the initial instructions, procedures, services, security assessment, and security measures, and the working group is required to submit an annual report to the Governor and General Assembly beginning January 1, 2016, on the feasibility and cost of implementation of the secure return of such military-overseas ballots. Additionally, the State Board is directed to work with federal, state, local, and other appropriate entities to establish best practices for uniformed-service voter authentication and identification and for the secure return of such military-overseas ballots. The provisions of this bill will not become effective unless reenacted by the 2016 Session of the General Assembly.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Absentee voting and procedures; secure return of voted military-overseas ballots. Requires the State Board of Elections to provide instructions, procedures, and services to enable uniformed-service voters outside of the United States to return voted military-overseas ballots securely by electronic mail or fax. The bill requires the State Board to develop and annually update security measures to ensure the accuracy and integrity of such votes and requires the Chief Information Officer of the Commonwealth to approve the measures. The State Board is directed to convene a working group for the initial development of the security measures. Additionally, the State Board is directed to work with the U.S. Department of Defense to use smart cards issued to active-duty military personnel to authenticate and enable the return of such military-overseas ballots. The bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Technology and Science.