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2015 SESSION

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Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections
Subcommittee Campaigns

Carrico (Chairman), Martin, Obenshain, McEachin, Smith, Alexander

Staff: Meg Burruss
Date of Meeting: January 26, 2015
Time and Place: 1/2 Hour After Adjour. - 4th Floor East Conference Center
**Updated to add SB 1397 and SB 1400**

S.B. 742

Patron: Carrico

Elections; run-off elections. Provides that no candidate shall be deemed to have been elected at a general election to any statewide office unless such candidate receives more than 50 percent of the total votes cast for that office. The bill requires that when no candidate for an office receives more than 50 percent of the total votes cast at the general election for that office, a run-off election between the candidates receiving the highest and next-highest number of votes for that office shall be held. However, no run-off election shall be held if the total number of write-in votes cast for an office and the total number of votes cast for the candidate receiving the highest number of votes for an office together equal more than 50 percent of the total votes cast for that office. The bill requires run-off elections to be held on the fourth Tuesday following the date of the certification of the results of the general election or, if a recount is conducted after the general election, on the fourth Tuesday following the date of the certification of the results of the recount, unless the fourth Tuesday falls on a legal holiday, in which the case the run-off election will be held on the sixth Tuesday. The bill provides that all other elections, including a general election of electors for the President and Vice-President of the United States, the person having the highest number of votes for an office shall be deemed to have been elected to such office and shall receive the certificate of election. Under current law, except in the case of a recount, the person having the most votes cast at any election shall be deemed to have been elected to that office.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-673 of the Code of Virginia, relating to run-off elections.

15101178D

01/22/15 Senate: Assigned to P&E sub: Campaigns

S.B. 827

Patron: Miller

Voting systems; use of direct recording electronic machines. Prohibits the use of direct recording electronic (DRE) machines in elections on and after July 1, 2016, except for the express purpose of providing accessible voting equipment as required by law. The bill allows the modification of previously acquired DREs for the express purpose of providing accessible voting equipment.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-626 of the Code of Virginia, relating to voting systems; use of direct recording electronic machines.

15101230D

01/22/15 Senate: Assigned to P&E sub: Campaigns

S.B. 1061

Patron: Obenshain

Elections; electronic pollbooks; photographs. Requires electronic pollbooks to contain a photograph and identifying information received by the State Board of Elections from the Department of Motor Vehicles for each registered voter for whom the Department of Motor Vehicles has such a photograph and identifying information. The bill requires the officer of election to access the photograph and identifying information when the voter presents himself to vote and to challenge the voter's vote if the voter does not appear to be the same person depicted in the photograph in the pollbook. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2016.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-404, 24.2-611, 24.2-643, 24.2-651, and 46.2-208.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections; electronic pollbooks; photographs.

15100744D

01/22/15 Senate: Assigned to P&E sub: Campaigns

S.B. 1062

Patron: Obenshain

Election administration; presidential elections; officers of election and ballot scanner machines. Requires any precinct having more than 4,000 registered voters to have not less than five officers of election serving at a presidential election and requires the electoral board to appoint additional officers as may be needed to comply with this requirement. The bill also requires the governing body of a county or city that uses ballot scanner machines at elections to provide for any precinct having more than 4,000 registered voters not less than two such machines at a presidential election. Current law requires not less than three officers of election and at least one ballot scanner machine at each precinct.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-115 and 24.2-627 of the Code of Virginia, relating to presidential elections; number of officers of election and ballot scanner machines.

15100745D

01/22/15 Senate: Assigned to P&E sub: Campaigns

S.B. 1351

Patron: Vogel

Polling place; authorized representative of political party; permitted handheld wireless communication devices. Removes the prohibition against use of handheld wireless communication devices containing a camera or other imaging device by authorized representatives of political parties inside a polling place or central absentee voter precinct.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-604 of the Code of Virginia, relating to polling places; authorized representatives of political parties; permitted handheld wireless communications devices.

15103125D

01/22/15 Senate: Assigned to P&E sub: Campaigns

S.B. 1397

Patron: McDougle


Elections; run-off elections. Provides that no candidate shall be deemed to have been elected at a general election to any statewide office or to the United States Senate unless such candidate receives more than 50 percent of the total votes cast for that office. The bill requires that when no candidate for an office receives more than 50 percent of the total votes cast at the general election for that office, a run-off election between the candidates receiving the highest and next-highest number of votes for that office shall be held. However, no run-off election shall be held if the total number of write-in votes cast for an office and the total number of votes cast for the candidate receiving the highest number of votes for an office together equal more than 50 percent of the total votes cast for that office. The bill requires run-off elections to be held on the fourth Tuesday following the date of the certification of the results of the general election or, if a recount is conducted after the general election, on the fourth Tuesday following the date of the certification of the results of the recount, unless the fourth Tuesday falls on a legal holiday, in which the case the run-off election will be held on the sixth Tuesday. The bill provides that all other elections, including a general election of electors for the President and Vice-President of the United States, the person having the highest number of votes for an office shall be deemed to have been elected to such office and shall receive the certificate of election. Under current law, except in the case of a recount, the person having the most votes cast at any election shall be deemed to have been elected to that office.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-673 of the Code of Virginia, relating to run-off elections.

15103314D

S.B. 1400

Patron: Petersen

Campaign finance; campaign contribution limits; civil penalty. Prohibits a person, other than a political party committee or political action committee, from making any single contribution or any combination of contributions that exceeds $10,000 to any one candidate for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, or the General Assembly in a primary or other method of political party nomination immediately preceding the general or special election, or $20,000 to any such candidate in any one election cycle. The bill also prohibits political action committees from making any single contribution or any combination of contributions that exceeds $25,000 to any one candidate for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, or the General Assembly in a primary or other method of political party nomination immediately preceding the general or special election, or $50,000 to any such candidate in any one election cycle. Compliance with these limitations is a requirement for candidacy for those offices. No limits are placed on contributions made by political party committees or by a candidate to his own campaign. Civil penalties for violations of the limits may equal up to two times the excess contribution amounts.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 9.3 of Title 24.2 an article numbered 3.1, consisting of sections numbered 24.2-948.5 through 24.2-948.9, and by adding in Article 8 of Chapter 9.3 of Title 24.2 a section numbered 24.2-953.6, relating to campaign finance; campaign contribution limits; civil penalty.

15103777D