Absentee voting; no excuse. (HB57)
Introduced By
Del. Charniele Herring (D-Alexandria) with support from co-patrons Del. Dawn Adams (D-Richmond), and Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy (D-Woodbridge)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✗ |
Passed Committee |
☐ |
Passed House |
☐ |
Passed Senate |
☐ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Absentee voting; no excuse. Allows any registered voter to vote by absentee ballot in any election in which he is qualified to vote. The bill removes the current list of statutory reasons for which a person may be entitled to vote by absentee ballot and consolidates multiple sections relating to absentee voting by uniformed and overseas voters into one section and multiple sections related to absentee voting by persons with a disability into one section. Read the Bill »
Outcome
Bill Has Failed
History
Date | Action |
---|---|
12/01/2017 | Committee |
12/01/2017 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18100938D |
12/01/2017 | Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections |
01/22/2018 | Assigned P & E sub: Subcommittee #1 |
01/24/2018 | Impact statement from DHCD/CLG (HB57) |
01/29/2018 | Impact statement from DPB (HB57) |
01/30/2018 | Subcommittee recommends passing by indefinitely (4-Y 2-N) |
02/13/2018 | Left in Privileges and Elections |
Comments
The ACLU of Virginia strongly supports this bill that assures that all voters can vote absentee by mail or in person without having to give the government an excuse. Find out more about how you can join ACLU's PeoplePower and advocate for this legislation at peoplepower.org and download the voting rights advocacy toolkit here, https://acluva.org/en/publications/advocacy-toolkit-voting-rights
Yes! This is a good start to reforming VA’s draconian voter laws. Allowing people more flexibility to vote will create a democracy that is more representative. Besides, the list of 21 reason to absentee vote is subjective and open to interpretation. This will create a fairer law for everyone. Other improvements? Early voting! Automatic voter registration! Mail-in ballots!
This is seriously the beginning of opening the doors of voter engagement and making it easier for people to cast their voice.
There never was a good reason to keep citizens from voting absentee, except to make it harder for many to vote at all.
Every vote matters and we need to make it easier to vote not harder. I support this bill.
I believe everyone who is a legal citizen should vote, with the information showing their identification ID and voters registration number and address. There has to be a way to not elicit duplications and fraudulent activity. That's since absentee votes have had a part in fraudulent issues.
And to make sure they are not dead people voting. A database to double check that with the Death Certificate agency.
Yes, you're describing exactly how things work right now.