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2007 SESSION

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Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections
Subcommittee Campaigns and Elections

O'Brien (Chairman), Puckett, Deeds, Obenshain, Devolites Davis

Clerk: Karen R. West, Charles Shotton
Staff: M Spain, M Brissette, J Austin
Date of Meeting: January 22, 2007
Time and Place: 1/2 hour after session - 3 West Conference Room

S.B. 840 Election procedures; voting equipment requirements.

Patron: Devolites Davis

Election procedures; voting equipment requirements; random postelection audits of equipment; and recounts.  Requires localities to use optical scan tabulator systems. The bill requires the State Board of Elections to develop accommodations for disabled voters and limits the use of direct recording electronic (DRE) devices to marking ballots that can be optically scanned. The bill prohibits any form of wireless electronic communication capability on any voting or counting device. The bill requires State Board of Elections to develop procedures to enable local electoral boards to conduct postelection audits of at least two percent of machines in jurisdictions with 50,000 or more registered voters and at least five percent of machines in jurisdictions with fewer than 50,000 registered voters. The bill requires the random selection for auditing of a representative sample of vote counting machines within 48 hours of public announcement of initial vote counts and prohibits certifying results until audits are completed. The bill provides that paper records control in the event of a significant discrepancy, defined as a difference of more than one-tenth of one percent between the hand counted total and the initial machine tally. The bill requires local electoral boards to publicly announce comparative results. The bill requires recount officials as part of the recount proceedings to randomly audit three percent of voting devices using State Board of Elections standards for hand recounts. A discrepancy exceeding one-tenth of one percent requires extending the audit to all precincts. The bill deletes obsolete references to mechanical voting equipment and punchcard devices and takes effect January 1, 2009.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-626 and 24.2-802 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding sections numbered 24.2-625.2 and 24.2-671.1, relating to voting equipment and the required use of optical scan tabulators; a ban on wireless communications on voting equipment; postelection equipment audits; and recount procedures. 

075559726

S.B. 878 Elections; recount procedures.

Patron: Deeds

Elections; recount procedures.  Requires hard copy optical scan ballots to be rerun through appropriately programmed tabulators in recount proceedings. Present law provides that the tabulator printout will be sufficient unless it is unclear or the court orders the ballots to be rerun.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-802 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections; recount procedures.

075528724

S.B. 920 Absentee voting; qualified voters may vote without a reason.

Patron: Howell

Elections; absentee voting.  Provides that qualified voters may vote absentee in person without providing an excuse or reason for not being able to vote in person on election day. The bill retains the present statutory list of specific reasons entitling a voter to cast an absentee ballot for those persons who vote absentee by mail.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-700 and 24.2-701 of the Code of Virginia, relating to absentee voting; persons eligible to vote absentee; and applications for absentee ballots.

078234744

S.B. 986 Absentee voting; persons with any disability or illness may vote.

Patron: Deeds

Elections; absentee voting. Extends to persons with any disability or illness the ability to obtain an absentee ballot.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-700, 24.2-701, 24.2-703.1, 24.2-703.2, 24.2-704, 24.2-705, and 24.2-705.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to voters eligible to vote absentee.

075560129

S.B. 1226 Electronic voting equipment; requires electoral boards to develop plans to ensure security thereof.

Patron: Howell

Electronic voting equipment; security.  Requires local electoral boards to develop plans and procedures to ensure the security of electronic voting systems and the State Board of Elections to provide assistance in the development of these plans, upon request. The bill also requires vendors of electronic voting systems to provide written best practices about the secure use of the systems when applying for certification in the Commonwealth and to annually update these practices once certified. Finally, the bill would require the State Board of Elections to develop a program and contract with an independent third-party agent, such as a state university or a nonprofit science and engineering corporation, for the testing and verification of electronic ballots, electronic code, and electronic voting systems for local electoral boards. This third-party verification program is modeling on a program established in Georgia with Kennesaw State University.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-625.1 and 24.2-629 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 24.2-631.1, relating to electronic voting equipment; security.

075831744

S.B. 1274 Absentee voting; individuals with disabilities/medical conditions & caregivers may vote absentee.

Patron: Whipple

Elections; absentee voting by individuals with disabilities or other medical conditions and caregivers.  Establishes a right to vote absentee for individuals with medical conditions making them unable to go to polls on election day and their caregivers.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-700, 24.2-701, 24.2-703.1, and 24.2-703.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to voters eligible to vote absentee.

073711844