Title of Regulation: 1VAC20-70. Absentee Voting (amending 1VAC20-70-20).

Statutory Authority: § 24.2-103 of the Code of Virginia.

Public Hearing Information:

June 25, 2013 - 10 a.m. - General Assembly Building, House Room C, Richmond, VA

Public Comment Deadline: June 21, 2013.

Agency Contact: Martha Brissette, State Board of Elections, 1100 Bank Street, Richmond, VA 23219, telephone (804) 864-8925, FAX (804) 371-0194, TTY (800) 260-3466, or email martha.brissette@sbe.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The proposed amendment provides that an absentee ballot not sealed in Envelope B should not be rendered invalid, provided that the unsealed absentee ballot within Envelope B substantially complies with the requirement that the ballot be accompanied by the Statement of Voter.

1VAC20-70-20. Material omissions from absentee ballots.

A. Pursuant to the requirements of § 24.2-706 of the Code of Virginia, a timely received absentee ballot contained in an Envelope B shall not be rendered invalid if it contains an error or omission not material to its proper processing.

B. The following omissions are always material and any Envelope B containing such omissions shall be rendered invalid if any of the following exists:

1. Except as provided in subdivisions C 2 and 3 of this section, the voter did not include his full first name;

2. The voter did not provide his last name;

3. If the voter has a legal middle name, the voter did not provide at least a middle initial;

4. The voter did not provide his house number and street name or his rural route address;

5. The voter did not provide either his city or zip code;

6. The voter did not sign Envelope B;

7. The voter did not provide the date on which he signed Envelope B; or

8. The voter's witness did not sign Envelope B; or.

9. The ballot is not sealed in Envelope B.

C. The ballot shall not be rendered invalid if on the Envelope B:

1. The voter included his full name in an order other than "last, first, middle";

2. The voter used his first initial instead of his first full name, so long as the voter provided his full middle name;

3. The voter provided a derivative of his legal name as his first or middle name (e.g., "Bob" instead of "Robert");

4. The voter did not provide his generational suffix;

5. The voter did not provide his residential street identifier (Street, Drive, etc.);

6. The voter did not provide a zip code, so long as the voter provided his city;

7. The voter did not provide his city, so long as the voter provided his zip code;

8. The voter omitted the year in the date on which he signed Envelope B; or

9. The voter provided the incorrect date on which he signed Envelope B.; or

10. The voter did not seal the ballot within Envelope B, provided there is substantial compliance with the requirement that the ballot be accompanied by the required Statement of Voter.

D. For the purposes of this regulation, "city" may include the voter's locality, town, or any acceptable mailing name for the five-digit zip code of the voter's residence.

E. The illegibility of a voter's or witness' signature on an Envelope B shall not be considered an omission or error.

F. Whether an error or omission on an Envelope B not specifically addressed by this regulation is material and shall render the absentee ballot invalid shall be determined by a majority of the officers of the election present.