Absentee voting; ballots received, marked, and cast electronically through the Internet.
Summary
Elections; absentee voting; accessibility; ballots received, marked, and cast electronically through the internet. Requires the Department of Elections to make available to all localities a tool to allow a voter with a visual impairment or print disability or a covered voter to receive, mark, and return his absentee ballot electronically through the internet. The bill makes the tool available through the internet in lieu of other currently available assistive technologies.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 12, 2026
Last action Jul 21, 2026
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
8
Key actions
2
Committee
4
Feb 9, 2026
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee recommends continuing to (Voice Vote)
lower
Jan 27, 2026
Lower · Passed
House subcommittee offered
lower
Jan 27, 2026
Committee
Assigned HPE sub: Election Administration
lower
Jan 12, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Patrick Hope
DDemocratic
Ask Maddy
·
AI policy assistant
Ask Maddy about HB 493
Scope: VA
Hi! I can help you understand HB 493. What would you like to know?
Try one of these
i
Maddy answers using official bill text and legislative records. Always verify before sharing.
Sources cited inline