VirginiaHB6402026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Elections; challenges to a voter or voter's registration, filing of petition, notice of appeal.

Sponsored By: Paul E. Krizek (Democratic)

Became Law

Summary

Elections; challenges to a voter or voter's registration. Eliminates the process by which any voter could challenge, in a polling place on the day of an election, the right of any other voter to cast a ballot. The bill also eliminates the process by which any three voters could challenge a voter's registration before the general registrar; such challenges may still be made by filing a petition with the circuit court of the county or city where the voter is registered.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.

Easier absentee applications and mail delivery

Your timely absentee application counts as an offer to vote, and the registrar cannot reject it for errors that are not material. If you are properly registered, the registrar must send or hand you a ballot packet when ballots are ready and by the legal deadline. The packet includes the ballot, a return envelope, a signed voter statement with either your last four SSN digits or a unique ID and your birth year, and clear instructions with drop-off locations. If you apply in person, you may ask by 5:00 p.m. on the 11th day before the election to have your materials mailed; the registrar must keep proof of mailing. A voter, candidate, campaign, or district party chair may ask a court to enforce these duties, and willful neglect with malicious intent is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

More options for military and overseas voters

Covered voters, including military and overseas voters, get absentee materials mailed or handed to them by the legal deadline. The registrar does not need proof of mailing for these voters. If the voter opts in, the registrar must send the blank ballot, return form, and instructions by the office’s official email or fax. The State Board may set formats, and registrars may use federal assistance tools.

Privacy rules for absentee applicant lists

Registrars keep an absentee applicant list that the public can inspect and copy, and registered voters can inspect applications in office hours. Parties and candidates can get an electronic list for campaign use only. Lists and applications cannot include any part of your Social Security number or your day and month of birth, and a P.O. box is shown instead of a street address. Registrars may share voter data with vendors to print and mail absentee materials, and vendors must report who received them.

New court process to challenge registrations

Any three local registered voters can file in circuit court to challenge someone’s voter registration. The filer must give the person at least 15 days’ notice unless the court says otherwise, and the court decides the case quickly. Appeals must be filed within 7 days, and these cases get priority on court dockets. A challenge cannot be based only on a move out of a precinct, and court orders are not limited by voter record closure rules. The law repeals several older sections and replaces them with this court-based process.

Voting if your name is missing

If your name is not in the pollbook, you can still vote the same day when the registrar confirms you are registered. You must sign a sworn statement and give your last four Social Security digits (if any), full name, birthdate, and full address. The officer records your information in the pollbook. If the registrar is unavailable or cannot confirm, you may cast a provisional ballot and you get a registration application. False statements are a felony under state law, and the State Board provides rules for counting these provisional ballots.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Paul E. Krizek

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 237 • No: 124

Senate vote 4/22/2026

Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation

Yes: 21 • No: 18

House vote 4/22/2026

House concurred in Governor's recommendation

Yes: 64 • No: 36

Senate vote 3/10/2026

Passed Senate

Yes: 21 • No: 19

Senate vote 3/5/2026

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)

Yes: 39 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/5/2026

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/3/2026

Reported from Privileges and Elections

Yes: 8 • No: 7

House vote 2/3/2026

Read third time and passed House

Yes: 63 • No: 35

House vote 1/30/2026

Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute

Yes: 15 • No: 7

House vote 1/28/2026

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute

Yes: 6 • No: 2

Actions Timeline

  1. Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A)

    4/22/2026Senate
  2. House concurred in Governor's recommendation (64-Y 36-N 0-A)

    4/22/2026House
  3. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1064)

    4/22/2026Governor
  4. Reenrolled bill text (HB640ER2)

    4/22/2026House
  5. Reenrolled

    4/22/2026House
  6. Approved by Governor-Chapter 1064 (effective 7/1/2026)

    4/22/2026Governor
  7. Signed by President

    4/22/2026Senate
  8. Signed by Speaker

    4/22/2026House
  9. Governor's recommendation adopted

    4/22/2026Governor
  10. Governor's recommendation received by House

    4/13/2026Governor
  11. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB640)

    4/6/2026House
  12. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

    3/31/2026Governor
  13. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

    3/31/2026House
  14. Signed by Speaker

    3/31/2026House
  15. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB640ER)

    3/30/2026House
  16. Enrolled

    3/30/2026House
  17. Signed by President

    3/30/2026Senate
  18. Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

    3/10/2026Senate
  19. Read third time

    3/10/2026Senate
  20. Passed by for the day

    3/9/2026Senate
  21. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

    3/6/2026Senate
  22. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

    3/5/2026Senate
  23. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

    3/5/2026Senate
  24. Rules suspended

    3/5/2026Senate
  25. Reported from Privileges and Elections (8-Y 7-N)

    3/3/2026Senate

Bill Text

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