VirginiaHB8352026 Regular SessionHouse

Elections; candidates and elected officials, confidentiality of personally identifiable information.

Sponsored By: Adele Y. McClure (Democratic)

Became Law

Summary

Elections; candidates and elected officials; address confidentiality. Prohibits the custodian of any filing made by a candidate from releasing the address, phone number, or email address of such candidate in response to a request made under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. The bill permits a candidate to provide the unique identifier assigned to him in the voter registration system pursuant to relevant law in place of his residence address on any candidate filing. The State Board of Elections is prohibited from requiring candidates to disclose their address or unique identifier on petitions prior to their being filed. The bill also adds elected officials to the list of people who may furnish, in addition to their residence street address, a post office box address located within the Commonwealth to be included in lieu of their street address on the lists of registered voters. The certificate of election delivered to the winner of an election is required to be accompanied by a notice that the person meets the qualifications for being granted protected voter status along with instructions for updating their voter registration in order to attain such status. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 632.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

7 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 4 mixed.

Candidate privacy in public filings

Beginning January 1, 2027, officials must not release a candidate’s home address, phone, or email under FOIA without the candidate’s written consent. If no consent is given, or no reply in five business days, that information is redacted. Court orders and subpoenas still apply. Candidates may list their unique voter ID instead of their home address on required filings.

Elected officials get protected-voter notice

Beginning January 1, 2027, each certificate of election includes a notice that the recipient qualifies for protected voter status and explains how to update registration to get that status.

Signature counts to get on ballots

Beginning January 1, 2027, candidates must meet set petition signature minimums. U.S. Senate, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General: 10,000, with at least 400 from each congressional district. U.S. House: 1,000. Virginia Senate: 250. House of Delegates or constitutional officer: 125. County/city governing body or elected school board: 125 (or 50 if the district is not at-large and has 1,000 or fewer registered voters). Towns: over 3,500 voters—125 (or 25 per ward/district not at-large); 1,500–3,500—50 (or 25 per ward); under 1,500—no petition. Soil and water conservation district director: 25. Others: 50.

Campaign committees: when and what to file

Beginning January 1, 2027, you must file a statement of organization within 10 days after key steps like taking a contribution, spending money, paying a party filing fee, filing your candidate statement of qualification, appointing a treasurer, or naming a committee or depository. In some towns, filing is also triggered if campaign totals go over $25,000 in the election cycle. The statement must list your name and either your residence address or your unique voter ID, the committee’s name and mailing address, the treasurer’s name, address, and daytime phone, the office and district, party or “independent,” and the depository bank’s name (no account number). The statement stays in effect for later terms; report changes within 10 days.

Most changes start January 1, 2027

This law takes effect on January 1, 2027. That is when all the new election rules and protections begin.

Petition rules: signer info, witnesses, appeals

Beginning January 1, 2027, each petition signer must list a residence address. Each signature must be witnessed by an adult who is not a felon without restored voting rights, and each page must include an affidavit. Nonresidents who circulate petitions must consent to Virginia court authority; if they do not sign, or later ignore a subpoena, those signatures do not count. A signer may add the last four digits of their Social Security number, but missing digits do not void a signature. The State Board sets uniform petition review rules and cannot require a candidate address or voter ID before filing. The Board already updated processes to check canceled registrations and escalate suspected fraud. Candidates disqualified for too few signatures can appeal within five calendar days, get a hearing within five business days, and the board’s decision is final.

Voter registration: required info and privacy

Beginning January 1, 2027, voter registration forms ask for your full name, gender, date of birth, Social Security number (if any), U.S. citizenship, residence address, last registration, and certain legal history. You must sign unless you are physically disabled, and the form states that voting more than once is a Class 6 felony. The form asks for phone and email, but you cannot be denied for leaving them blank. Officials cannot pre-fill required fields unless you direct it or a specific law allows it. People in listed safety or official roles may use a Virginia PO box on public voter lists instead of a street address. If you used to live in another state, the registrar sends your registration information to that state.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Adele Y. McClure

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 254 • No: 64

House vote 3/4/2026

Senate substitute agreed to by House

Yes: 76 • No: 19

Senate vote 3/2/2026

Passed Senate with substitute

Yes: 21 • No: 19

Senate vote 2/27/2026

Privileges and Elections Substitute agreed to

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/26/2026

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/26/2026

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/24/2026

Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute

Yes: 15 • No: 0

House vote 2/12/2026

Read third time and passed House

Yes: 79 • No: 19

House vote 2/6/2026

Reported from Privileges and Elections

Yes: 17 • No: 5

House vote 2/3/2026

Subcommittee recommends reporting

Yes: 6 • No: 2

Actions Timeline

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0228)

    4/6/2026Governor
  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 228 (effective 7/1/2026)

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

    3/14/2026Governor
  4. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

    3/14/2026House
  5. Signed by Speaker

    3/12/2026House
  6. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB835)

    3/11/2026House
  7. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB835ER)

    3/11/2026House
  8. Enrolled

    3/11/2026House
  9. Signed by President

    3/11/2026Senate
  10. Senate substitute agreed to by House (76-Y 19-N 0-A)

    3/4/2026House
  11. Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

    3/2/2026Senate
  12. Privileges and Elections Substitute agreed to

    2/27/2026Senate
  13. Passed by for the day

    2/27/2026Senate
  14. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

    2/27/2026Senate
  15. Read third time

    2/27/2026Senate
  16. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB835)

    2/26/2026House
  17. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

    2/26/2026Senate
  18. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

    2/26/2026Senate
  19. Rules suspended

    2/26/2026Senate
  20. Committee substitute printed 26108499D-S1

    2/24/2026Senate
  21. Senate committee offered

    2/24/2026Senate
  22. Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (15-Y 0-N)

    2/24/2026Senate
  23. Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

    2/13/2026Senate
  24. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

    2/13/2026Senate
  25. Read third time and passed House (79-Y 19-N 0-A)

    2/12/2026House

Bill Text

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