Politics & Government

Bill to Take Personal Info Out of Absentee Voting

Virginia voters wishing to cast an absentee ballot would still be required to give a reason. The proposed bill is heading to the Virginia House of Delegates.

A bill designed to alleviate privacy concerns about the absentee voting process could be heard by the full House of Delegates as early as Tuesday.

The legislation would still require a person to give a valid reason to vote absentee, but certain personal information would no longer be required on the application.

"It's important that we not set up artificial roadblocks to voting absentee," said Democratic Sen. Adam Ebbin, the bill's sponsor. "While some of my colleagues seem to not want to make it easier to vote, I was happy that we are removing an unnecessary roadblock — or, an unnecessary invasion of privacy."

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The bill is a far cry from no-excuse absentee voting, sometimes called early voting, which would give any registered voter the right to case a ballot early.

"You still have to have an excuse, you just don't have to give the most personal supporting information," Ebbin said.

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If the bill becomes law, the following information would no longer be required on absentee voting applications:

  • The rank, grade and service identification number of active duty military;
  • The school address of students;
  • The specific nature of a disability or illness;
  • The jail address for someone awaiting trial or having been convicted of a misdemeanor;
  • The name of a family member and the nature of their illness for caregivers;
  • A person's religion for those claiming religious obligations; and,
  • A work address for anyone who must work 11 or more hours on election day.

Ebbin said conversations with election boards in Arlington and Alexandria taught him that some disabled people, in particular, did not want to disclose the nature of their disabilities. And veteran friends told him a service identification number was like a Social Security number, he said.

The bill passed the Senate late last month in a 40-0, and was reported out of the House Privileges and Elections Committee on Friday with a 20-1 vote.

A full house vote is expected by mid-week.


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