# Virginia HB774: Elections; absentee and provisional ballots, cure process, delayed effective date.

Virginia HB774, Elections; absentee and provisional ballots, cure process, delayed effective date., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Virgil Thornton (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-22 (Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A)) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB774-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB774
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Elections; absentee and provisional ballots, cure process, delayed effective date.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-04-22, Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A)
- Sponsor: Virgil Thornton (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 11 (299 yes, 157 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

Elections; absentee and provisional ballots; cure process. Requires that, if the electoral board determines that any person having submitted a provisional vote was not entitled to vote as a result of a material error or omission on the provisional ballot form, the registrar is required to promptly notify the voter by telephone or email of the error or omission and to provide information to the voter on how to correct the issue so his ballot may be counted. The voter is entitled to make such necessary corrections before noon on the Monday after the election. The bill moves the deadline for curing errors or omissions in absentee ballot applications from noon on the third day after the election to noon on the Monday after the election. The bill also requries the Department of Elections to issue guidance to local election officials on the uniform processing and counting of provisional ballots, including any provisional ballot cast by a person submitting a registration application on the same day as the election. This bill has a delayed effective date of September 1, 2026.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- More protection for absentee voters: benefit, medium. Beginning January 1, 2027, Virginia protects absentee ballots returned to the registrar's office or a drop-off location before election day. Missing middle-name information alone does not make the voter statement incomplete when full first and last names are provided. A missing signing date, or par…
- More ways to count provisional ballots: benefit, medium. Beginning January 1, 2027, Virginia gives provisional voters a process to fix important missing information on their ballot forms. Registrars must promptly call or email voters, if contact information is available, and explain how to fix the omission. Voters can correct it before noon on the Monday…
- Consistent rules for registration and voting: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, Virginia's State Board of Elections must set uniform rules for reviewing incomplete voter registration applications. Applicants must get the same amount of time to supply missing information, regardless of decisions about their provisional ballots. The Department of Elect…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Virgil Thornton (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-22 | Senate | Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation | pass | 21 | 18 |   |
| 2026-04-22 | House | House concurred in Governor's recommendation | pass | 64 | 36 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | House | Senate amendment agreed to by House | pass | 62 | 33 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Passed Senate with amendment | pass | 21 | 19 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Privileges and Elections Amendment agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-26 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-26 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-24 | Senate | Reported from Privileges and Elections with amendment | pass | 8 | 7 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 62 | 35 |   |
| 2026-02-06 | House | Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute | pass | 15 | 7 |   |
| 2026-01-26 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) | pass | 6 | 2 |   |

## Actions (43)

- 2026-04-22: Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-04-22: House concurred in Governor's recommendation (64-Y 36-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-04-22: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1070) (Governor)
- 2026-04-22: Reenrolled bill text (HB774ER2) (House)
- 2026-04-22: Approved by Governor - Chapter 1070 (effective - 1/1/2027) (Governor)
- 2026-04-22: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-04-22: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-04-22: Governor's recommendation adopted (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Governor's recommendation received by House (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-12: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-11: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB774) (House)
- 2026-03-11: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB774ER) (House)
- 2026-03-11: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-11: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Senate amendment agreed to by House (62-Y 33-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-02: Passed Senate with amendment (21-Y 19-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Privileges and Elections Amendment agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Engrossed by Senate as amended (Senate)
- 2026-02-27: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2026-02-27: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: Reported from Privileges and Elections with amendment (8-Y 7-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Read third time and passed House (62-Y 35-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-11: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB774) (House)
- 2026-02-11: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-02-11: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-11: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-10: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-06: Committee substitute printed 26106717D-H1 (House)
- 2026-02-06: Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (15-Y 7-N) (House)
- 2026-02-06: House committee offered (House)
- 2026-01-27: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB774) (House)
- 2026-01-26: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (6-Y 2-N) (House)
- 2026-01-25: Assigned HPE sub: Election Administration (House)
- 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections (House)
- 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103904D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225409.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225408.PDF)
- Reenrolled, 2026-04-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1220428.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1220427.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-04-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219753.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219752.PDF)
- Gov Recommendation, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219473.HTML)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199312.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199311.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-03-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1189053.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-02-25: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179375.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-02-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1178707.HTML)
- Substitute, 2026-02-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132170.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132693.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132692.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132169.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-01-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1101843.HTML)
- Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085839.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085838.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
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225409.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225408.PDF)
- [Reenrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1220428.HTML)
- [Reenrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1220427.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219753.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219752.PDF)
- [Gov Recommendation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219473.HTML)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199312.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199311.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1189053.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1179375.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1178707.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132170.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132693.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132692.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132169.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1101843.HTML)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085839.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085838.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)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB774-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).