                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

APPLICATION FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT (§ 24.2-701)

A. The Department shall furnish each general registrar with a sufficient number
of applications for official absentee ballots. The registrars shall furnish
applications to persons requesting them.
			The Department shall implement a system that enables eligible persons to
request and receive an absentee ballot application electronically through the
Internet. Electronic absentee ballot applications shall be in a form approved by
the State Board.
			Except as provided in &#xA7; 24.2-703 or 24.2-703.1, a separate application
shall be completed for each election in which the applicant offers to vote. An
application for an absentee ballot may be accepted the later of (i) 12 months
before an election or (ii) the day following any election held in the twelfth
month prior to the election in which the applicant is applying to vote.
			An application that is completed in person at the same time that the
applicant registers to vote shall be held and processed no sooner than the fifth
day after the date that the applicant registered to vote; however, this
requirement shall not be applicable to any covered voter, as defined in &#xA7;
24.2-452.
			Any application received before the ballots are printed shall be held and
processed as soon as the printed ballots for the election are available.
			For the purposes of this chapter, the general registrar&#8217;s office shall
be open a minimum of eight hours between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on
the first and second Saturday immediately preceding all elections.
			Unless the applicant is disabled, all applications for absentee ballots shall
be signed by the applicant who shall state, subject to felony penalties for
making false statements pursuant to &#xA7; 24.2-1016, that to the best of his
knowledge and belief the facts contained in the application are true and correct
and that he has not and will not vote in the election at any other place in
Virginia or in any other state. If the applicant is unable to sign the
application, a person assisting the applicant will note this fact on the
applicant signature line and provide his signature, name, and address.

B. Applications for absentee ballots shall be completed in the following manner:

   1. An application completed in person shall be completed only in the office of
   the general registrar and signed by the applicant in the presence of a
   registrar. The applicant shall provide one of the forms of identification
   specified in subsection B of &#xA7; 24.2-643, or if he is unable to present
   one of the specified forms of identification listed in that subsection, he
   shall sign a statement, subject to felony penalties for making false
   statements pursuant to &#xA7; 24.2-1016, that he is the named registered voter
   he claims to be. An applicant who requires assistance in voting by reason of a
   physical disability or an inability to read or write, and who requests
   assistance pursuant to &#xA7; 24.2-649, may be assisted in preparation of this
   statement in accordance with that section. The provisions of &#xA7; 24.2-649
   regarding voters who are unable to sign shall be followed when assisting a
   voter in completing this statement. Any applicant who does not show one of the
   forms of identification specified in subsection B of &#xA7; 24.2-643 or does
   not sign this statement shall be offered a provisional ballot under the
   provisions of &#xA7; 24.2-653. The State Board of Elections shall provide
   instructions to the general registrar for the handling and counting of such
   provisional ballots pursuant to &#xA7; 24.2-653.01 and this section.
   				This paragraph shall apply in the case of any individual who is required
   by subparagraph (b) of 52 U.S.C. &#xA7; 21083 of the Help America Vote Act of
   2002 to show identification the first time he votes in a federal election in
   the state. At such election, such individual shall present (i) a current and
   valid photo identification or (ii) a copy of a current utility bill, bank
   statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows
   the name and address of the voter. Such individual who desires to vote in
   person but does not show one of the forms of identification specified in this
   paragraph shall be offered a provisional ballot under the provisions of &#xA7;
   24.2-653. The identification requirements of subsection B of &#xA7; 24.2-643
   and subsection A of &#xA7; 24.2-653 shall not apply to such voter at such
   election. The Department of Elections shall provide instructions to the
   electoral boards for the handling and counting of such provisional ballots
   pursuant to &#xA7; 24.2-653.01 and this section.

   2. Any other application may be made by mail, by electronic or telephonic
   transmission to a facsimile device if one is available to the office of the
   general registrar or to the office of the Department if a device is not
   available locally, or by other means. The application shall be on a form
   furnished by the registrar or as specified in subdivision 3. The application
   shall be made to the appropriate registrar no later than 5:00 p.m. on the
   eleventh day prior to the election in which the applicant offers to vote.

   3. The application of any covered voter, as defined in &#xA7; 24.2-452, may be
   on a federal postcard application, as defined in &#xA7; 24.2-452. The federal
   postcard application may be accepted the later of (i) 12 months before an
   election or (ii) the day following any election held in the twelfth month
   prior to the election in which the applicant is applying to vote.

C. Applications for absentee ballots shall contain the following information:

   1. The applicant&#8217;s printed name and the last four digits of the
   applicant&#8217;s social security number. However, an applicant completing the
   application in person shall not be required to provide the last four digits of
   his social security number;

   2. A statement that he is registered in the county or city in which he offers
   to vote and his residence address in such county or city. Any person
   temporarily residing outside the United States shall provide the last date of
   residency at his Virginia residence address, if that residence is no longer
   available to him. Any covered voter, as defined in &#xA7; 24.2-452, who is not
   a registered voter may file the applications to register and for a ballot
   simultaneously; and

   3. The complete address to which the ballot is to be sent directly to the
   applicant, unless the application is made in person at a time when the printed
   ballots for the election are available and the applicant chooses to vote in
   person at the time of completing his application. The address given shall be
   (i) the address of the applicant on file in the registration records; (ii) the
   address at which he will be located while absent from his county or city; or
   (iii) the address at which he will be located while temporarily confined while
   awaiting trial or for a misdemeanor conviction or due to a disability or
   illness. No ballot shall be sent to, or in care of, any other person.

D. An application shall not be required for any registered voter appearing in
person to cast an absentee ballot pursuant to &#xA7; 24.2-701.1.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 24.1-228; 1970, c. 462, § 24.1-228.1; 1971, Ex. Sess.,
c. 119; 1972, cc. 620, 621; 1973, c. 30; 1974, c. 428; 1975, c. 515; 1977, c.
490; 1978, c. 778; 1980, c. 639; 1981, c. 425; 1982, c. 650; 1983, c. 461; 1988,
c. 8; 1989, c. 320; 1992, c. 288; 1993, cc. 414, 641; 1996, c. 295; 1998, c.
254; 2000, cc. 378, 863; 2001, cc. 621, 631, 793; 2002, cc. 785, 819; 2003, c.
478; 2004, c. 410; 2006, c. 438; 2007, c. 315; 2008, cc. 386, 425, 880; 2009,
cc. 405, 873; 2010, c. 244; 2011, cc. 427, 458; 2012, cc. 353, 612, 838, 839;
2013, cc. 535, 620, 725; 2015, cc. 314, 644, 645; 2017, c. 631; 2018, c. 595;
2019, cc. 668, 669; 2020, cc. 289, 561, 735, 1064, 1065, 1149, 1151, 1201; 2024,
c. 553.