Absentee voting; witness signature not required. (SB1097)

Introduced By

Sen. Barbara Favola (D-Arlington) with support from co-patrons Del. Patrick Hope (D-Arlington), Del. Kaye Kory (D-Falls Church), Del. Rodney Willett (D-Henrico), Sen. Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond), and Sen. Scott Surovell (D-Mount Vernon)

Progress

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

Description

Absentee voting; witness signature not required during declared state of emergency related to a communicable disease of public health threat. Provides that a voter's failure to have a witness sign the absentee ballot envelope for any election held during a declared state of emergency related to a communicable disease of public health threat shall not be considered a material omission and shall not render the ballot void. The bill directs the Department of Elections to convene a work group to consider and evaluate alternatives to the witness signature requirement for election officials to use to verify that an absentee ballot was cast by the voter identified as having requested and received such ballot. Read the Bill »

Status

04/21/2021: Awaiting a Vote in the Privileges and Elections Committee

History

Date	Action
11/09/2020	Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/21 21100137D
11/09/2020	Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
01/15/2021	Impact statement from DPB (SB1097)
01/19/2021	Reported from Privileges and Elections (9-Y 6-N) (see vote tally)
01/21/2021	Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
01/22/2021	Read second time and engrossed
01/25/2021	Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 18-N) (see vote tally)
02/02/2021	Placed on Calendar
02/02/2021	Read first time
02/02/2021	Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
02/08/2021	Continued to Special Session 1 in Privileges and Elections
02/10/2021	Assigned P & E sub: Election Administration
02/16/2021	House subcommittee amendments and substitutes offered
02/16/2021	Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 3-N)
02/17/2021	Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (13-Y 9-N) (see vote tally)
02/17/2021	Committee substitute printed 21200289D-H1
02/19/2021	Impact statement from DPB (SB1097H1)
02/19/2021	Read second time
02/22/2021	Read third time
02/22/2021	Committee substitute agreed to 21200289D-H1
02/22/2021	Engrossed by House - committee substitute SB1097H1
02/22/2021	Passed House with substitute (55-Y 45-N)
02/22/2021	VOTE: Passage (55-Y 45-N)
02/23/2021	Reconsideration of House substitute agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N)
02/23/2021	House substitute agreed to by Senate (22-Y 17-N)
02/23/2021	Title replaced 21200289D-H1
02/25/2021	Enrolled
02/25/2021	Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB1097ER)
02/25/2021	Signed by President
02/26/2021	Impact statement from DPB (SB1097ER)
02/26/2021	Signed by Speaker
03/01/2021	Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 1, 2021
03/01/2021	G Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 31, 2021
03/18/2021	G Approved by Governor-Chapter 235 (effective 7/1/21)
03/18/2021	G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0235)