HB 71 Virginia House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Absentee voting in person; voter satellite offices, days and hours of operation.

Summary

Absentee voting in person; voter satellite offices; days and hours of operation. Authorizes the governing body of any county or city establishing voter satellite offices for absentee voting in person to prescribe, by ordinance, the dates and hours of operation for such offices. The bill requires the governing body to provide notice to the general registrar of the county or city at least two weeks prior to the enactment of any such ordinance.

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Dec 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Dec 31, 2025 Last action Feb 13, 2026

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What changed between versions

Introduced → Privileges and Elections Substitute · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended from its original introduction to a substitute version by the House Committee on Privileges and Elections. The main substantive change involves clarifying that voter satellite offices must provide at least the same dates and hours of operation as required by another section of the Code of Virginia (§ 24.2-701.1), preventing localities from establishing offices with reduced hours. The document also includes administrative updates like a new date stamp and committee attribution.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on absentee voting in person at voter satellite offices, but the amendment adds a minimum standards requirement that limits local flexibility in setting office hours.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new requirement in subsection A stating that ordinances establishing voter satellite offices cannot provide for less than what is already required by § 24.2-701.1, ensuring minimum operational standards are met.

TECHNICAL

Changed the language from 'an increase in the dates and hours of operation' to 'the dates and hours of operation' to clarify that offices can set both initial and modified schedules, not just increases.

Added administrative header information including the substitute date (January 30, 2029), committee attribution, and draft status indicators.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jan 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

House committee offered

lower

Jan 25, 2026

Lower · Passed

House subcommittee offered

lower

Jan 25, 2026

Committee

Assigned HPE sub: Election Administration

lower

Jan 20, 2026

Lower · Passed

House committee offered

lower

Dec 31, 2025

Committee

Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

lower

1 primary · 5 co-sponsors