HB198: Absentee voting; permanent absentee voter list, annual notice required, reasons for removal.
HOUSE BILL NO. 198
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 24.2-703.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 24.2-703.1. Permanent absentee voter list.
A. Any registered voter shall be eligible to file a special application to receive absentee ballots for all elections in which he is eligible to vote. Such application shall be on a form approved by the State Board. The absentee ballots sent to a voter on the permanent absentee voter list shall be sent to the address in the voter's registration record, except as provided in subdivision C 1.
B. In accordance with procedures established by the State Board, the general registrar shall retain the application, enroll the applicant on a permanent absentee voter list, and process the applicant's request for an absentee ballot for each succeeding election. The applicant shall specify by party designation the primary ballots he is requesting. The general registrar shall send to each such enrolled applicant notice, on a form prescribed by the State Board, that the applicant is currently enrolled on the permanent absentee voter list and will remain enrolled on such list unless the voter requests to be removed from the list. Such notice shall be sent by December 15 for each ensuing calendar year and shall include a return card, properly addressed and postage prepaid, by which the enrolled applicant may request to be removed from the permanent absentee voter list.
C. The State Board shall prescribe the process by which a voter on the permanent absentee voter list may:
1. Request that his absentee ballot for (i) a single election or (ii) a primary election and the following general election be sent to an address other than the address on his voter registration record.
2. Request a primary ballot for a political party other than the one he specified on his application for permanent absentee voter status for a single primary election.
3. Change his political party selection for all succeeding primary elections.
D. A voter shall be removed from the permanent absentee voter
list if (i) the voter requests in writing to be removed from the list, (ii) the
voter's registration is canceled pursuant to § 24.2-427, (iii) the voter's
registration is placed on inactive status pursuant to § 24.2-428 or 24.2-428.1, or
(iv) the voter moves to a different address not in the same county or city of
his registration, or (v) the voter offers to vote absentee in
person pursuant to § 24.2-701.1.