Elections; qualified voters may vote absentee in person without providing an excuse or reason. (HB1402)

Introduced By

Sen. Roz Dance (D-Petersburg)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

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. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
08/03/2010Committee
08/03/2010Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/12/11 11100090D
08/03/2010Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
01/13/2011Assigned P & E sub: #2 Elections
01/18/2011Subcommittee recommends laying on the table
02/08/2011Left in Privileges and Elections

Comments

Anne B., tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

voters should be able to vote when and where they choose and not subject to waiting in long lines in all sorts of weather

robert legge writes:

But this will allow working people who can't get to the polls a chance to vote. That's threatening to some pols.

Bearing Drift, tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

Bearing Drift opposes this bill as it's just stupid. Vote absentee in person? Huh? Show up and vote on Election Day or vote by mail. It's just that simple!

Perry Keeton writes:

What this will allow is people being coerced to vote in a particular manner with the intimidation going undetected.

Waldo Jaquith writes:

What this will allow is people being coerced to vote in a particular manner with the intimidation going undetected.

People can already vote absentee for a great many reasons. I'm not aware of any evidence that this has resulted in any such thing. Are you?

Isaac Adams writes:

Whatever we can do to expand the capacity to vote is positive for the principles of democracy.