# Virginia HB493: Absentee voting; ballots received, marked, and cast electronically through the Internet.

Virginia HB493, Absentee voting; ballots received, marked, and cast electronically through the Internet., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Patrick A. Hope (Democratic); status in committee, last action 2026-02-13 (Continued to 2027 in Privileges and Elections (Voice Vote)) (as of 2026-10-11).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB493-2026
- As of: 2026-10-11
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB493
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Absentee voting; ballots received, marked, and cast electronically through the Internet.
- Status: in committee
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-12
- Last action: 2026-02-13, Continued to 2027 in Privileges and Elections (Voice Vote)
- Sponsor: Patrick A. Hope (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Subjects: Election Administration
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (0 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Elections; absentee voting; accessibility; ballots received, marked, and cast electronically through the internet. Requires the Department of Elections to make available to all localities a tool to allow a voter with a visual impairment or print disability or a covered voter to receive, mark, and return his absentee ballot electronically through the internet. The bill makes the tool available through the internet in lieu of other currently available assistive technologies.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Patrick A. Hope (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-13 | House | Continued to 2027 in Privileges and Elections (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-09 | House | Subcommittee recommends continuing to 2027 (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |

## Actions (7)

- 2026-02-13: Continued to 2027 in Privileges and Elections (Voice Vote) (House)
- 2026-02-09: Subcommittee recommends continuing to 2027 (Voice Vote) (House)
- 2026-02-02: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB493) (House)
- 2026-01-27: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-01-27: Assigned HPE sub: Election Administration (House)
- 2026-01-12: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections (House)
- 2026-01-12: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104715D (House)

## Bill text

- Substitute, 2026-01-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098260.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098259.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084676.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084675.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098260.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098259.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084676.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084675.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB493-2026 (as of 2026-10-11).