An Act to amend and reenact §§ 24.2-418, 24.2-506, 24.2-676, 24.2-680, and 24.2-947.1 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 5 of Title 24.2 a section numbered 24.2-504.1, relating to elections; candidates and elected officials; address confidentiality.
HB835 makes a series of election-law changes focused on protecting the personal contact information of candidates and certain elected or election-related officials. The bill adds a new section to the election code stating that the custodian of a candidate filing may not release a candidate’s address, phone number, or email address in response to a Virginia Freedom of Information Act request unless the candidate gives written consent. It also expands the voter registration application process to allow certain eligible individuals to substitute a post office box for a residence street address on public-facing voter lists and records, while still maintaining the underlying residence information for election administration.
The bill identifies a broad set of people who may use a P.O. box for public disclosure purposes, including active or retired law-enforcement officers, people with protective orders, people who fear for their safety due to threats or stalking, participants in the state address confidentiality program, certain judges and magistrates, certain attorneys employed by the U.S. or Virginia Attorneys General, approved foster parents, presidential electors, members and staff of election administration bodies, and current or former elected officials. The bill also preserves existing requirements for voter registration information and cross-state registration notification, while adding these confidentiality protections to the election code.
HB835 amends multiple provisions of Title 24.2 governing voter registration, candidate filings, absentee and voter list disclosures, and election administration records. Its practical effect is to limit public release of home addresses and other contact information for covered candidates and officials, and to permit a P.O. box to appear in place of a street address on certain public voter lists, registration records, and absentee voter applicant lists. The bill therefore affects the balance between public access to election records and privacy/safety protections for specified individuals, while leaving election officials able to maintain the information needed for official use.
The available context suggests the bill was generally viewed as a privacy- and safety-oriented measure, with no recorded committee debate or roll-call votes indicating opposition in the provided materials. Its final enactment as Chapter 228 indicates it advanced successfully through the legislative process and was approved by the Governor. The overall sentiment appears favorable, especially for individuals concerned about harassment, stalking, or exposure of personal information through election records.
The main point of potential contention is the tension between transparency in election records and confidentiality for candidates, elected officials, and other covered individuals. Supporters would likely emphasize personal safety, anti-harassment protections, and consistency with existing address confidentiality practices, while critics could be concerned that the bill narrows public access to information traditionally available through voter and candidate records. Another possible issue is the breadth of the categories eligible to use a P.O. box, which extends beyond law enforcement and judges to foster parents, election workers, and elected officials, potentially raising questions about how far confidentiality protections should extend.