A BILL to amend and reenact § 24.2-701.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to absentee voting in person; voter satellite offices; days and hours of operation.
HB71 amends Virginia law governing absentee voting in person at voter satellite offices. The bill gives county and city governing bodies authority to establish as many satellite offices as they deem necessary and to set the dates and hours of operation by ordinance, so long as the local rules are not less permissive than the minimum already required by existing law. It also prohibits changes to a satellite office, including creating or abolishing one, within 60 days before a general election, and requires advance notice to the general registrar and publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
The bill would revise § 24.2-701.2 of the Code of Virginia and affect local election administration by clarifying how satellite absentee voting locations may be created, staffed, and scheduled. It specifies that these offices must be in public buildings owned or leased by the locality, and may also be located in certain Commonwealth-owned or leased facilities used for DMV or general registrar offices. The bill further requires adequate protection for election materials and voting systems, mandates accessibility under state and federal disability laws, and directs local governing bodies to provide funding so registrars can operate these offices.
The available record suggests no recorded opposition or debate, and the bill was continued to the next session in the House Privileges and Elections Committee by voice vote. That procedural outcome indicates the measure did not advance in the session, but the absence of votes or transcript material means there is little direct evidence of strong public disagreement in the available materials. Overall, the bill appears to have been treated as an election administration measure rather than a highly contentious proposal.
The main points of potential contention are local control, election timing, and administrative burden. Localities would gain flexibility to expand or schedule satellite offices, but they would also face notice requirements, restrictions on last-minute changes before elections, and a funding obligation to support the registrar’s operations. Accessibility and security requirements could also raise implementation questions for counties and cities, especially where facilities are limited or where additional staffing and equipment costs are involved.