Virginia passes historic expansion of voting rights
National Vote at Home collaborated with multiple groups
to pass an extensive set of mailed-out ballot reforms
Virginia's legislature just delivered its largest expansion of voter rights in decades, propelling the state's status from the back of the back in providing access to mailed-out ballots, to among the leaders. All four bills are on their way to the Governor's desk.
Passing "no excuse" absentee voting (HB 1) shifted Virginia into the majority of states (now 34 + DC) that have removed the archaic barrier of an "excuse required" to vote at home.
Passing a "permanent absentee" option (HB 207) propelled Virginia into a group of now 11 states + DC where voters can have their ballot delivered to them for every election, automatically.
Offering Virginia's voters prepaid return postage on mailed-out ballots (HB 220) removes one more barrier to higher voter engagement. It will need to pass again in 2021 for budget allocation.
Moving the deadline for a returned mailed-out ballot to be "postmarked by" Election Day (HB 238) aligns voting in person with voting by mail.
NVAHI collaborated for the better part of two years with Virginia elections officials, legislators, and activist organizations to bring this to a successful conclusion. Separately, National Vote at Home recently concluded a webinar series to assist elections officials with implementation issues. The videos will be posted here shortly.
Here is the latest fifty-state map showing how Vote at Home policies are spreading nationwide.
Watch for even more progress soon!
