Elections Passed HB49 Petition requirements for independent candidates, primary candidates, and groups of voters nominating candidates in presidential elections. Reduces the number of petition signatures required for independent candidates and primary candidates for statewide offices and for minor party tickets on the presidential ballot from one-half of one percent of the number of voters registered in the Commonwealth (approximately 17,000 signatures based on the January 1, 1998, registered voter total) to 10,000 signatures. The bill also reduces the number of signatures for independent and primary candidates in congressional district elections from one-half of one percent of the number of voters registered in the district (approximately 1,550 signatures based on the January 1, 1998, registered voter total) to 1,000 signatures. The bill increases the requirement for a minimum number of signatures from each congressional district from 200 to 400 for statewide petitions. Patron - Callahan HB96 Campaign finance disclosure reports. Provides that the local registrar or board of elections shall notify the person filing the report of any need for additional information within seven days of the due date of the report rather than within seven days of the receipt of the report. Patron - Parrish HB343 Prohibition on election precinct boundary changes. Prohibits any changes in precinct boundaries from September 1, 1998, to June 1, 2001, with specified exceptions. The Joint Reapportionment Committee has recommended this freeze on precinct boundary adjustments as part of the Commonwealth's program to obtain accurate precinct data with the Census 2000 maps and population reports. This precinct boundary freeze is similar to the freeze of precinct boundaries enacted prior to the 1990 Census. Patron - Van Landingham HB496 November 1998 elections for Towns of Dayton and Mount Crawford. Provides that in the Towns of Dayton and Mount Crawford, the council and mayor shall be elected in November rather than May in 1998. After 1998, elections in the Towns will revert to the May schedule. This bill overrides provisions of general law and the Dayton and Mount Crawford charters. Patron - Weatherholtz HB580 Election information on the Internet. Requires the State Board of Elections to furnish lists of candidates and information on constitutional amendments and statewide referenda on the Internet for all elections in the Commonwealth beginning with the November 1998 general election. Patron - Moran HB588 Campaign finance disclosure reports; electronic filings; Internet access. Requires candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General, beginning January 1, 1999, to file information on campaign contributions and expenditures by computer or electronic means meeting State Board of Election standards, and permits General Assembly candidates to file by computer electronically. The bill provides for the availability to the public of information from these campaign finance filings and reports through the Internet and requires the State Board to make all information from these reports (whether or not filed electronically) available on the Internet beginning January 1, 2001. Patron - Albo HB591 Persons entitled to vote absentee and absentee ballot applications. Provides that a person who is unable to go to the polls on election day because of an obligation occasioned by his religion shall be entitled to vote absentee. The person does not have to be absent from his locality on election day in order to vote absentee under this provision. The bill also requires the State Board of Elections to make absentee ballot applications available through the Internet beginning with the November 1999 election. Patron - Cantor HB902 Certain town elections; postponement and rescheduling. Provides for the rescheduling of the May 1998 town elections in any town which has annexed territory as a result of an agreement with the county to change its boundary line or a voluntary settlement of annexation matters and has not received notice, on or before April 10, 1998, from the Attorney General of the United States under § 5 of the Voting Rights Act that the post-annexation redistricting may be implemented. The Towns of South Boston and Bowling Green would be covered by this bill. Patron - Bennett HB1001 Campaign finance disclosure; reports of large pre-election contributions. Modifies the present reporting requirement for candidates for nomination by a political party by convention or other non-primary nominating procedures. The bill expands the reporting requirement to cover all elections, not just nominations for the November election, and provides that the special large contribution report requirements apply only to candidates who have opposition in seeking the nomination. Patron - Croshaw HB1016 Officers of election; hours of service. Authorizes each local electoral board to use split shifts for officers of election on election day in one or more precincts. However, the chief officer and assistant chief officer must be on duty throughout the election day. This general authorization for split shifts expires July 1, 2001. A conforming change is made in the provision on central absentee voter precincts, which presently allows partial use of split shifts, to require the chief and assistant chief officer, rather than three officers, to remain on duty throughout the election day. Patron - Scott HB1073 Election laws definitions; contested elections for the General Assembly. Provides that a write-in candidate must have received at least 15 percent of the votes cast for the office in question to be eligible to contest the election. With respect to General Assembly election contests, the bill also (i) sets filing deadlines for subpoenas duces tecum and affidavits, (ii) exempts certain official election materials from being subpoenaed, and (iii) provides that the house hearing the contest, by a two-thirds vote, may require a contestant to pay the contestee's costs if the contest was brought in bad faith. Patron - Melvin HB1195 Duties of officers of election; preparation and sealing of voting and counting equipment for elections. Provides that a voting or counting device which cannot be sealed with a metal seal may, instead, be locked with a key following the preparation of the device for the election. Patron - Ingram HB1196 Officers of election; instruction on duties and use of voting equipment. Permits electoral boards to provide instruction to all officers on their duties and on voting equipment between three and 30 days before the election. The bill sets one uniform period for instruction. Patron - Ingram HB1411 Keeping of ballots by circuit court clerks. Allows the clerk to destroy the counted ballots, for elections other than federal elections, one year rather than two years after the election if no contest is pending. The two-year retention requirement remains in effect for federal elections to comply with federal law requirements. Patron - Croshaw SB13 Congressional districts. Revises the boundaries of the First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Seventh Congressional Districts in response to the three-judge federal district court order in Moon v. Meadows. Patron - Miller, K.G. SB14 Guardians and conservators. Clarifies provisions governing the effect of the 1997 changes in the law of guardianship and determinations of incompetency and incapacity on the state's election laws and on the duties of commissioners of accounts. The bill clarifies that the local department of social services of the jurisdiction where the incapacitated person resides is responsible for securing the guardian's report. Patron - Gartlan SB15 Senatorial districts; technical adjustments. Corrects the lines between Senate Districts 10 and 12 and between Senate Districts 12 and 16 in Henrico County to eliminate technical splits of the Westwood and Seven Pines Precincts. All of the present Westwood and Seven Pines Precincts are retained in Senate District 12. The changes affect four census map blocks and 15 registered voters. Patron - Stosch SB316 Petition requirements for independent candidates, primary candidates, and groups of voters nominating candidates in presidential elections. Reduces the number of petition signatures required for independent candidates and primary candidates for statewide offices and for minor party tickets on the presidential ballot from one-half of one percent of the number of voters registered in the Commonwealth (approximately 17,000 signatures based on the January 1, 1998, registered voter total) to 10,000 signatures. The bill also reduces the number of signatures for independent and primary candidates in congressional district elections from one-half of one percent of the number of voters registered in the district (approximately 1,550 signatures based on the January 1, 1998, registered voter total) to 1,000 signatures. The bill increases the requirement for a minimum number of signatures from each congressional district from 200 to 400 for statewide petitions. Patron - Schrock SB358 Elections; duties and powers of general registrars; pollbooks. Modifies the provisions on retention of registered voter lists by the general registrar. There are duplicate lists which serve as the pollbooks for an election. One set is held by the clerk of the circuit court after the election and delivered by him to the general registrar after the time for a recount or contest has expired. The general registrar is required to retain this set for five years after the election date. The other set is sent to the State Board of Elections for voter credit purposes and then returned by the State Board to the general registrar to be retained by him for four years. The bill permits the general registrar to destroy the set returned by the State Board two years after a federal election and one year after other elections. Patron - Whipple SB373 Officers of election; hours of service. Authorizes each local electoral board to use split shifts for officers of election on election day in one or more precincts. However, the chief officer and assistant chief officer must be on duty throughout the election day. This general authorization for split shifts expires July 1, 2001. A conforming change is made in the provision on central absentee voter precincts, which presently allows partial use of split shifts, to require the chief and assistant chief officer, rather than three officers, to remain on duty throughout the election day. Patron - Gartlan SB500 Elections; form of ballots. Gives localities that have converted from mechanical to electronic voting equipment the option to continue to use a ballot alignment similar to what was used with the mechanical equipment. The purpose of the option is to permit the locality to show political party alignments on the ballot. Patron - Newman SB537 Certain town elections; postponement and rescheduling. Provides for the rescheduling of the May 1998 town elections in any town which has annexed territory as a result of an agreement with the county to change its boundary line or a voluntary settlement of annexation matters and has not received notice, on or before April 10, 1998, from the Attorney General of the United States under § 5 of the Voting Rights Act that the post-annexation redistricting may be implemented. The Towns of South Boston and Bowling Green would be covered under the bill. Patron - Lucas Failed HB2 Congressional districts. Revises the boundaries of the First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Seventh Congressional Districts in response to the three-judge federal district court order in Moon v. Meadows. Patron - Watkins HB12 Elections; form of ballots; political party names on ballots. Provides for identification on the ballot of candidates by the name of their political party. Present law prohibits party identification on the ballot except in presidential elections. Patron - Purkey HB463 General Assembly Campaign Finance Reform Act. Imposes limits on contributions to General Assembly candidates and provides for the voluntary acceptance of expenditure limits by candidates for the General Assembly. The limit on contributions is $2,000 per election cycle on contributions by any person or committee to a candidate for the General Assembly. The limit is $4,000 per election cycle to a candidate for the General Assembly who declares as a Campaign Finance Reform Act Candidate and agrees to abide by the expenditure limits set out in the Act. The expenditure limit for a candidate for the House of Delegates is $100,000 in an election year and for a candidate for the Senate is $200,000 in an election year. The expenditure limit in a non-election year is 20 percent of the election year limit. Patron - Hamilton HB497 Town elections. Allows towns by ordinance to provide for the election of the governing body at the November general election rather than the May general election. Alternatively, voters may petition the circuit court asking that a referendum be held on the question of whether the town shall elect the mayor and council at the November general election. Several other sections are amended to eliminate the assumption that all elections for town governing bodies or school boards are held in May. Patron - Weatherholtz HB504 Payment of costs of primary elections. Requires the political parties to pay for the costs of primaries. Present law requires the counties and cities to pay for primary elections. The bill permits a county or city to pay any part of the costs of primary elections at the discretion of the governing body. The bill may be subject to challenge on constitutional grounds as placing an impermissible burden on associational rights of voters and political parties. Patron - Landes HB611 Elections; form of ballots; political party names on ballots. Provides for identification on the ballot of party candidates by the name of their political party and of other candidates by the term "Independent" or another designation provided by the candidate. Present law prohibits party identification on the ballot except in presidential elections. Patron - Wardrup HB612 Congressional districts. Revises the boundaries of the First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Seventh Congressional Districts in response to the three-judge federal district court order in Moon v. Meadows. Patron - Wardrup HB1118 Political party primaries; blanket primary. Provides that a voter may participate in any primary for any office without regard to political affiliation. However, a voter may not vote in more than one primary for a specific office. Thus, a voter could vote in the Republican primary for Governor and the Democratic primary for the House of Delegates at the same election. The voter could not vote in both a Republican and Democratic primary for Governor at the same election. The bill repeals the provision for separate party pollbooks at the primary. Patron - Behm HB1171 Virginia Advisory Redistricting Commission. Creates an advisory commission to draw plans to redistrict General Assembly and congressional districts in the year 2001 and each tenth year thereafter. The General Assembly has power to adopt or amend commission plans. The bill spells out the standards to be followed by the commission in drawing plans and provides for the expiration of the commission following implementation of the decennial redistricting plans. Patron - Plum HB1320 Elections; form of ballots; political party names on ballots. Provides for identification on the ballot of party candidates by the name of their political party and of other candidates by the term "Independent" or another designation provided by the candidate. Present law prohibits party identification on the ballot except in presidential elections. Patron - Marshall HB1330 Delayed 1998 primary date. Delays the 1998 primary date from June 9 to July 14 for congressional districts revised in 1998. The Department of Justice notified the Commonwealth on March 11 that the new districts were pre-cleared under the Voting Rights Act. This notice was received in time to follow the June 9 primary schedule for all 1998 primaries, and the bill was allowed to die. Patron - Van Landingham SB10 Senatorial districts; technical adjustment. Corrects the line between Senate Districts 10 and 12 in Henrico County to eliminate a split of the Westwood Precinct. All of the present Westwood Precinct is placed in Senate District 12. The change affects two census map blocks (1990 census population of nine persons) which are shifted from Senate District 10 to Senate District 12. Patron - Benedetti SB18 Elections; form of ballots; political party names on ballots. Provides for identification on the ballot of candidates by the name of their political party. Present law prohibits party identification on the ballot except in presidential elections. Patron - Miller, K.G. SB154 Absentee ballot applications. Requires the State Board of Elections to implement a system, beginning with the general election in November 1999, which enables persons to request, receive, and file absentee ballot applications electronically through the Internet. The bill also ensures that false statements made electronically are punishable the same as any other false statement made in connection with Virginia's election laws (as the crime of election fraud, a Class 5 felony). In a second enactment clause, the Board is requested to study the implementation of a system for registering voters and voting ballots (including absentee ballots) electronically through the Internet and report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 1999 Session of the General Assembly. The bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Technology and Science. Patron - Schrock Carried Over HB47 Election law definitions; political parties; petitions for party recognition. Modifies the definition of "political party." Present law requires that a political party must have received at least 10 percent of the total vote cast for a statewide office in one of the two most recent statewide elections. The bill substitutes the "preceding four years" for the prior two elections. The bill also provides an alternative means to gain party status through a petition process requiring 10,000 signatures of qualified voters. Patron - Callahan HB48 Election law definitions; political parties. Modifies the definition of "political party." Present law requires that a political party must have received at least 10 percent of the total vote cast for a statewide office in one of the two most recent statewide elections. The bill reduces this requirement to five percent. Under the election laws, only parties meeting this definition can nominate by primary or other party methods and have their candidates' names printed on the ballot. Patron - Callahan HB185 Elections; procedures at the polls; voter identification. Adds a requirement that the voter present a form of identification when he offers to vote at the polls. The required identification may be any one of the following: his Commonwealth of Virginia voter registration card, his social security card, or any pre-printed form of identification which shows his name and address, name and signature, or name and photograph. If a voter cannot present identification, he may still vote if he signs a statement, subject to felony penalties, that he is the named registered voter he claims to be. Under present law, this voter identification requirement applies only to certain first-time voters who have registered by mail and in certain challenged vote situations. Patron - Hamilton HB254 Primary elections; voter registration by political party. Adds party affiliation to the information that an applicant is asked to provide when registering to vote. The applicant may indicate that he is an independent. The bill requires the State Board of Elections, in January 1999, to notify all registered voters of the new party registration law and send them a return card to indicate their party affiliation or independent status. Voters may change their party affiliation or independent status by written notice at any time except the 28 days before an election when the registration records are closed. The state party chairman must notify the State Board by January 31 of each year whether the party will close its primaries and permit only registered party members to participate or whether it will open its primary to party members and independent voters. Further, the bill (i) adds a requirement that primary candidate petitions must be signed by voters registered as members of the party conducting the primary, (ii) sets the required number of petition signatures at one percent of the number of voters registered as members of the party in the election district where the primary is being held, and (iii) allows an official political party to retain that status so long as at least 15 percent of the Commonwealth's registered voters are registered as members of that party. Patron - Katzen HB892 Elections; procedures at the polls; voter identification. Adds a requirement that the voter present a form of identification when he offers to vote at the polls. The required identification may be any one of the following: his Commonwealth of Virginia voter registration card, his social security card, or any pre-printed form of identification which shows his name and address, name and signature, or name and photograph. If a voter cannot present identification, he may still vote if he signs a statement, subject to felony penalties, that he is the named registered voter he claims to be. Under present law, this voter identification requirement applies only to certain first-time voters who have registered by mail and in certain challenged vote situations. Patron - May HB1090 Election to fill local vacancies. Deletes provisions which specify that elections to fill vacancies in local governing bodies, elected school boards and constitutional offices shall be held only at a general election and provides for special elections to be scheduled more promptly after a vacancy occurs. A special election shall be ordered at least 60 days prior to the date for which the special election is called. If the vacancy occurs within 120 days of the end of the term, no special election shall be held. Patron - Katzen HB1107 Voting systems; use of approved equipment. Deletes the requirement that the State Board of Elections must authorize the use of approved voting equipment in part of a county, city, or town. This deletion gives a county, city, or town authority to install a new type of approved voting equipment in one or more precincts without State Board authorization and to use different types of approved voting equipment in different precincts within the locality. Patron - Baker HB1315 Elections; procedures at the polls; voter identification. Adds a requirement that the voter present a form of identification when he offers to vote at the polls. The required identification may be any one of the following: his Commonwealth of Virginia voter registration card, his social security card, or any pre-printed form of identification which shows his name and address, name and signature, or name and photograph. If a voter cannot present identification, he may still vote if he signs a statement, subject to felony penalties, that he is the named registered voter he claims to be. Under present law, this voter identification requirement applies only to certain first-time voters who have registered by mail and in certain challenged vote situations. Patron - Wilkins HB1319 Primary elections; voter registration by political party. Adds party affiliation to the information that an applicant is asked to provide when registering to vote. The applicant may indicate that he is an independent. The bill requires the State Board of Elections, in January 1999, to notify all registered voters of the new party registration law and send them a return card to indicate their party affiliation or independent status. Voters may change their party affiliation or independent status by written notice at any time except the 28 days before an election when the registration records are closed. The state party chairman must notify the State Board by January 31 of each year whether the party will close its primaries and permit only registered party members to participate or whether it will open its primary to party members and independent voters. Further, the bill (i) adds a requirement that primary candidate petitions must be signed by voters registered as members of the party conducting the primary, (ii) sets the required number of petition signatures at one percent of the number of voters registered as members of the party in the election district where the primary is being held, and (iii) allows an official political party to retain that status so long as at least 15 percent of the Commonwealth's registered voters are registered as members of that party. Patron - Marshall HB1351 Primary elections; voter registration by political party. Adds party affiliation to the information that an applicant is asked to provide when registering to vote. The applicant may indicate that he is an independent. The bill requires the State Board of Elections, in January 1999, to notify all registered voters of the new party registration law and send them a return card to indicate their party affiliation or independent status. Voters may change their party affiliation or independent status by written notice at any time except the 28 days before an election when the registration records are closed. The state party chairman must notify the State Board by January 31 of each year whether the party will close its primaries and permit only registered party members to participate or whether it will open its primary to party members and independent voters. Further, the bill (i) adds a requirement that primary candidate petitions must be signed by voters registered as members of the party conducting the primary, (ii) sets the required number of petition signatures at one percent of the number of voters registered as members of the party in the election district where the primary is being held, and (iii) allows an official political party to retain that status so long as at least 15 percent of the Commonwealth's registered voters are registered as members of that party. Patron - Wilkins HB1389 Virginia Clean Election Act and Fund. Establishes an alternative, publicly financed, campaign financing option for candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General and the General Assembly. A candidate may volunteer to participate and be certified for public funds after a qualifying process. A participating candidate may not accept or spend private contributions and must abide by the campaign contribution and spending restrictions set out in the Act. The bill establishes the Virginia Clean Election and Governmental Ethics Commission to administer the Act and Fund. The bill sets contribution caps applicable to all candidates: $500 for elections for Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General and $250 for all other elections. The bill is based on the Maine Clean Election Act. Court cases are pending which challenge certain provisions in that Act. Patron - Brink SB359 Elections; absentee voting. Provides that qualified voters may vote absentee for any reason. The bill eliminates the present statutory list of specific reasons entitling a voter to cast an absentee ballot. Several special provisions concerning military and overseas absentee voters are consolidated in one new provision. Patron - Whipple SB360 Virginia voter registration cards. Provides that the cards are issued for the information of the voter and are not to be used as evidence of identity or residence for firearms transfers, in-state tuition privileges, insurance agents' licenses, or driver's licenses. The bill preserves the use of the cards for certain election law purposes such as evidence of registration and identity at the polls on election day. Patron - Whipple SB538 Persons who may obtain lists of registered voters. Adds to the list of persons who may purchase the lists, the commissioners of the revenue and treasurers of localities for the purpose of determining the domicile of motor vehicle owners and administering the locality's motor vehicle license and tax laws. Patron - Lucas < PREVIOUS | CONTENTS | NEXT >