Absentee voting; counting ballots prior to the close of polls.
<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-603, 24.2-701.1, and 24.2-712 of the Code of Virginia, relating to elections; absentee voting; processing and counting ballots prior to the close of polls.</p>
Elections
Enacted
This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.
Sponsor
Roem
Last action
2026-02-27
Official status
Continued
Effective date
Not listed
Plain English Breakdown
The bill summary and digest do not provide information on clarifying vote totals for in-person absentee voting, which was mentioned in the candidate explanation.
Counting Absentee Ballots Early
This bill allows local election officers to start counting absentee ballots earlier on election day and requires early processing of these ballots.
What This Bill Does
Allows local election officers to begin counting absentee ballots after noon on election day, if requested by the electoral board.
Requires general registrars to start processing absentee ballots fourteen days before an election instead of seven days as currently required.
Who It Names or Affects
Election officials who process and count absentee ballots
General registrars responsible for processing absentee ballots
Terms To Know
Electoral Board
A group that oversees election processes in a locality.
General Registrar
An official who manages voter registration and elections.
Limits and Unknowns
The bill does not specify the exact criteria for granting waivers to count absentee ballots earlier.
It is unclear how this change will affect election results or voter turnout.
Amendments
These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.
Plain English: The amendment allows electoral boards to request permission from the Department to start counting absentee ballots before the polls close, with specific rules set by the Department.
Electoral boards can ask for a special permit to count absentee votes starting at 6:00 AM on election day.
This permit applies to all elections in the year it is given.
The exact criteria for granting these permits are not detailed and will be established by the Department later.
Bill History
2026-02-27Privileges and Elections
Continued to 2027 in Privileges and Elections (Voice Vote)
2026-02-26House
House committee offered
2026-02-09House
Placed on Calendar
2026-02-09House
Read first time
2026-02-09Privileges and Elections
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
2026-02-04Senate
Read third time and passed Senate (23-Y 17-N 0-A)
2026-02-04Senate
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB350)
2026-02-03Senate
Read second time
2026-02-03Senate
Reading of substitute waived (Voice Vote)
2026-02-03Senate
Senator Roem Substitute agreed to
2026-02-03Senate
Floor Offered
2026-02-03Senate
Reading of amendment waived (Voice Vote)
2026-02-03Senate
Senator Roem Substitute agreed to
2026-02-03Senate
Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote)
2026-02-02Senate
Read second time
2026-02-02Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-01-30Senate
Read second time
2026-01-30Senate
Read second time
2026-01-30Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-01-29Senate
Rules suspended
2026-01-29Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-01-29Senate
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB350)
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102138D
2026-01-13Privileges and Elections
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
Official Summary Text
Elections; absentee voting; counting ballots prior to the close of polls.
Allows officers of election at a central absentee precinct to begin ascertaining and recording the number of votes cast by absentee ballots at any time after noon on the day of the election. Under current law, absentee ballots that are counted by hand may be tallied, but not counted, at any time after noon on the day of the election, and no ballot totals for any absentee ballots shall be ascertained until after polls close. The bill also clarifies that vote totals for absentee ballots cast in person on voting systems cannot be determined until the day of the election. The bill also requires that general registrars begin processing absentee ballots on the fourteenth day prior to the day of the election. Under current law such processing is not required until the seventh day prior to the day of the election.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
SB 350
PRIVILEGES AND ELECTIONS
1. Line 99, engrossed, after
secrecy
.
insert
Upon request by the electoral board, the Department may grant a waiver to allow the locality's officers of election to begin to ascertain and record the number of votes cast by absentee ballots at any time after 6:00 a.m. on the day of the election to ensure the timely entry of election night results. The Department shall establish criteria for granting a waiver. Such waiver shall apply to all elections in the calendar year in which it is granted.