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Bill

HB 968

Election results; counting machine-readable ballots, processing absentee ballots.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Cia Price

HB 968 revises Virginia's procedures for counting machine-readable ballots and processing absentee ballots, affecting vote tabulation timelines and election office operations.

Approved by Governor-Chapter 718 (effective 7/1/2026)
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Bill Summary · HB 968

Legislative bill overview

HB 968 modifies Virginia's election procedures for processing machine-readable ballots and absentee ballots during vote counting. The bill establishes new protocols and timelines for how election officials must handle these ballots to improve efficiency and accuracy in election result tabulation.

Why is this important

Election counting procedures directly affect the speed and reliability of reported results, voter confidence in outcomes, and the workload on election administrators. Changes to these processes can have significant operational impacts on local election offices and may influence public perception of election integrity.

Potential points of contention

  • Definition of "machine-readable": Specificity regarding which ballot formats and scanning technologies qualify under the new procedures, and whether standards are uniform across jurisdictions
  • Absentee ballot processing timeline: Whether the new processing requirements create adequate time for verification and signature matching, or compress timelines in ways that could increase errors
  • Election administrator burden: The practical feasibility and cost implications for local election offices to implement new counting procedures, particularly in smaller or under-resourced counties
  • Audit and verification safeguards: Whether the streamlined procedures maintain sufficient checks to catch counting errors or ballot processing issues before results are certified

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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