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1998 SESSION


CHAPTER 572
An Act to amend and reenact § 24.2-712 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 24.2-115.1, relating to central absentee voter precincts and to officers of election and their hours of service.
[H 1016]
Approved April 15, 1998

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 24.2-712 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted and that the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 24.2-115.1 as follows:

§ 24.2-115.1. Officers of election; hours of service.

The electoral board may provide that the officers of election for one or more precincts may be assigned to work all or a portion of the time that the precinct is open on election day. However, the chief officer and the assistant chief officer, appointed pursuant to § 24.2-115 to represent the two political parties, shall be on duty at all times.

This section shall expire on July 1, 2001.

§ 24.2-712. Central absentee voter precincts; counting ballots.

A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the governing body of each county or city may establish one or more central absentee voter precincts in the courthouse or other public buildings for the purpose of receiving, counting, and recording absentee ballots cast in the county or city. The decision to establish any absentee voter precinct shall be made by the governing body by ordinance; the ordinance shall state for which elections the precinct shall be used. The decision to abolish any absentee voter precinct shall be made by the governing body by ordinance. Immediate notification of either decision shall be sent to the State Board and the electoral board.

B. Each central absentee voter precinct shall have at least three officers of election as provided for other precincts. The number of officers shall be determined by the electoral board.

C. If any voter brings an unmarked ballot to the central absentee voter precinct on the day of the election, he shall be allowed to vote it. If any voter brings an unmarked ballot to the electoral board on or before the day of the election, he shall be allowed to vote it, and his ballot shall be delivered to the absentee voter precinct before the closing of the polls.

The officers at the absentee voter precinct shall determine any appeal by any other voter whose name appears on the absentee voter applicant list and who offers to vote in person. If the officers at the absentee voter precinct produce records showing the receipt of his application and the certificate of mailing for the ballot, they shall deny his appeal. If the officers cannot produce such records, the voter shall be allowed to vote in person at the absentee voter precinct and have his vote counted with other absentee votes. If the voter's appeal is denied, the provisions of § 24.2-708 shall be applicable, and the officers shall advise the voter that he may vote on presentation of a statement signed by him that he has not received an absentee ballot and subject to felony penalties for making false statements pursuant to § 24.2-1016.

D. Absentee ballots may be processed as required by § 24.2-711 by the officers of election at the central absentee voter precinct prior to the closing of the polls but the ballot box shall not be opened and the counting of ballots shall not begin prior to that time. In the case of punch card or mark sense ballots to be inserted in electronic counting equipment, the ballot box may be opened and the absentee ballots may be inserted in the counting equipment prior to the closing of the polls in accordance with procedures prescribed by the State Board, including procedures to preserve ballot secrecy, but no ballot count totals shall be initiated prior to that time.

As soon as the polls are closed in the county or city the officers of election at the central absentee voter precinct shall proceed to ascertain and record the vote given by absentee ballot and report the results in the manner provided for counting and reporting ballots generally in Article 4 (§ 24.2-643 et seq.) of Chapter 6 of this title.

E. A locality The electoral board may provide that the officers of election for a central absentee voter precinct may be assigned to work all or a portion of the time that the precinct is open on election day subject to the following conditions:

1. At least three officers The chief officer and the assistant chief officer, appointed pursuant to § 24.2-115 to represent the two political parties, are on duty at all times; and

2. No officer, political party representative, or other candidate representative shall leave the precinct after any ballots have been counted until the polls are closed and the count for the precinct is completed and reported.