Virginia bills · 2026 Regular Session
Virginia HB 968
Election results; counting machine-readable ballots, processing absentee ballots.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became law
Sponsors
- Marcia S. "Cia" Price (Democratic)
Summary
Official abstract published by the Virginia legislature· SUMMARY AS PASSED
Election results; counting machine-readable ballots; processing absentee ballots. Requires ballot scanner machines to be used to count machine-readable ballots and prohibits such ballots from being counted by hand unless (i) the ballot scanner machine is inoperative, (ii) there is no other available scanner, and (iii) it would be unreasonable to wait for (a) the inoperative ballot scanner to be made operative or (b) an operative ballot scanner machine to be delivered to the polling place rather than hand counting the ballots. "Ballot scanner machine" and "machine-readable ballot" are defined terms under current law. The bill also provides that if, in the processing and counting of provisional and absentee ballots, any machine-readable ballot is damaged or defective, a team of election officials representing both parties shall make a true duplicate copy of such damaged ballot as a substitute for such damaged ballot. This bill has a delayed effective date of September 1, 2026.
Text versions
Roll-call votes
State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 4:19 PM.
| Date | Vote | Result | Your legislators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 4, 2026 House | H VOTE: | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 2, 2026 Senate | Passage R | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 26, 2026 Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 24, 2026 Senate | Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 3, 2026 House | H VOTE: | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Jan 30, 2026 House | Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Jan 26, 2026 House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
Actions
- Apr 13, 2026
Approved by Governor-Chapter 718 (effective 7/1/2026) - Mar 14, 2026
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 - Mar 14, 2026 · House
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 - Mar 12, 2026 · House
Signed by Speaker - Mar 11, 2026 · Senate
Signed by President - Mar 11, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB968) - Mar 11, 2026 · House
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB968ER) - Mar 11, 2026 · House
Enrolled - Mar 4, 2026 · House
Senate substitute agreed to by House (63-Y 32-N 0-A) - Mar 2, 2026 · Senate
Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A) - Mar 2, 2026 · Senate
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute - Mar 2, 2026 · Senate
Privileges and Elections Substitute agreed to - Feb 27, 2026 · Senate
Passed by for the day - Feb 27, 2026 · Senate
Read third time - Feb 26, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB968) - Feb 26, 2026 · Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) - Feb 26, 2026 · Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) - Feb 26, 2026 · Senate
Rules suspended - Feb 25, 2026 · Senate
Committee substitute printed 26107343D-S1 - Feb 25, 2026 · Senate
Senate committee offered - Feb 24, 2026 · Senate
Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (8-Y 7-N) - Feb 24, 2026 · Senate
Senate committee offered - Feb 24, 2026 · Senate
Senate committee offered - Feb 6, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB968) - Feb 4, 2026 · Senate
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections - Feb 4, 2026 · Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) - Feb 3, 2026 · House
Read third time and passed House (65-Y 33-N 0-A) - Feb 2, 2026 · House
Engrossed by House - committee substitute - Feb 2, 2026 · House
committee substitute agreed to - Feb 2, 2026 · House
Read second time - Jan 30, 2026 · House
Read first time - Jan 30, 2026 · House
Committee substitute printed 26106669D-H1 - Jan 30, 2026 · House
Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (16-Y 6-N) - Jan 30, 2026 · House
House committee offered - Jan 27, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB968) - Jan 26, 2026 · House
Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 2-N) - Jan 25, 2026 · House
Assigned HPE sub: Election Administration - Jan 13, 2026 · House
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections - Jan 13, 2026 · House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101436D