HB212 • 2026

Election offenses; intimidation and threats toward election officials, penalty.

<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-1000 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections; election offenses; intimidation and threats toward election officials; penalty.</p>

Crime Elections Labor

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Gardner
Last action: 2026-02-24
Official status: Failed
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass and therefore has no official effective date.

Election Offenses; Intimidation and Threats Toward Election Officials

This bill changes Virginia law by removing the requirement that a person must hinder or prevent an election official from administering elections to be found guilty of intimidating or threatening such officials, making it easier to charge someone with this crime.

What This Bill Does

Changes the law so that anyone who intimidates or threatens an election official can be charged with a Class 5 felony, even if they do not stop the official from doing their job.

Who It Names or Affects

Election officials
Employees of election officials

Terms To Know

Class 5 felony: A serious crime that can lead to a prison sentence and fines.
Intimidation: Scaring or threatening someone to make them do something they don't want to do.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill did not pass the Legislature, so it is not currently law.
It's unclear how much this change will cost in terms of prison time and other resources.

Bill History

2026-02-24 Privileges and Elections
Failed to report (defeated) in Privileges and Elections (5-Y 10-N)
2026-02-13 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2026-02-13 Privileges and Elections
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
2026-02-12 House
Read third time and passed House (62-Y 35-N 0-A)
2026-02-11 House
Read second time and engrossed
2026-02-10 House
Read first time
2026-02-06 Privileges and Elections
Reported from Privileges and Elections (14-Y 8-N)
2026-02-03 Campaigns and Candidates
Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 2-N)
2026-01-30 Campaigns and Candidates
Assigned HPE sub: Campaigns and Candidates
2026-01-21 House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB212)
2026-01-08 House
Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/8/2026 5:12 pm)
2026-01-07 House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104241D
2026-01-07 Privileges and Elections
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

Official Summary Text

Elections; election offenses; intimidation and threats toward election officials; penalty.
Removes the requirement that a person willfully hinder or prevent an election official from administering elections in order to be found guilty of intimidation and threats toward such official, which is a Class 5 felony under current law.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

A BILL to amend and reenact §
24.2-1000
of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections; election offenses; intimidation and threats toward election officials; penalty.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §
24.2-1000
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§
24.2-1000
. Intimidation and threats toward election officials; penalty.

A. Any person who, by bribery, intimidation, threats, coercion, or other means in violation of the election laws
willfully and
,
intentionally hinders or prevents, or attempts to hinder or prevent, an election official or the employee of an election official from administering elections pursuant to this title is guilty of a Class 5 felony.

B. For purposes of this section:

"Election official" includes members of the State Board of Elections, the Commissioner of Elections, members of local electoral boards, general registrars, deputy registrars, and officers of election.

"Employee of an election official" includes persons employed by the Department of Elections or in the office of a general registrar.

2. That the provisions of this act may result in a net increase in periods of imprisonment or commitment. Pursuant to §
30-19.1:4
of the Code of Virginia, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation cannot be determined for periods of imprisonment in state adult correctional facilities; therefore, Chapter 725 of the Acts of Assembly of 2025 requires the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission to assign a minimum fiscal impact of $50,000. Pursuant to §
30-19.1:4
of the Code of Virginia, the estimated amount of the necessary appropriation cannot be determined for periods of commitment to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.