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2017 SESSION

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(HB1428)

GOVERNOR'S VETO

 

    Pursuant to Article V, Section 6, of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto House Bill 1428, which requires photo identification for any voter seeking absentee ballots by mail, telephonic or electronic transmission.

     

    This bill remains substantively unchanged from a bill that I vetoed in 2015. The bill imposes barriers on an eligible voter's ability to obtain and cast an absentee ballot. The requirement would not in any way deter fraudulent voting since it provides no means of verifying the identity of the individual depicted in the submitted photograph.

     

    The right to vote is a fundamental tenet of our democracy, and we should be doing all we can to facilitate eligible citizens' access to the ballot. This bill would undoubtedly result in the disenfranchisement of qualified eligible Virginian voters and increase the potential for costly and time-consuming litigation.

     

    Accordingly, I veto this bill.