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Virginia > Title 24.2 Elections > Voter Registration Article 4: Registration of Voters

§ 24.2-420.1 Extended time for certain persons to register in person

Overview of Statute

This section allows certain persons listed in this section to register to vote in-person up to and including election day.

Statute

Effective until September 30, 2022

A. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 24.2-416, the following persons shall be entitled to register in person up to and including the day of the election:

1. Any member of a uniformed service of the United States, as defined in § 24.2-452, who is on active duty;

2. Any person who resides temporarily outside of the United States; and

3. Any spouse or dependent residing with a person listed in subdivision 1 or 2 of this subsection.

The provisions of this subsection shall apply only to those persons who are otherwise qualified to register and who, by reason of such active duty or temporary overseas residency, either (i) are normally absent from the city or county in which they reside or (ii) have been absent from such city or county and returned to reside there during the twenty-eight days immediately preceding the election.

B. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 24.2-416, any person who was on active duty as a member of a uniformed service as defined in § 24.2-452 and discharged from the uniformed service during the sixty days immediately preceding the election, and his spouse or dependent, shall be entitled to register, if otherwise qualified, in person up to and including the day of the election.

C. The Department shall prescribe procedures for the addition of persons registered under this section to the lists of registered voters.

Effective on October 1, 2022

A. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 24.2-416, any person who is qualified to register to vote shall be entitled to register in person up to and including the day of the election at the office of the general registrar in the locality in which such person resides or at the polling place for the precinct in which such person resides.

B. The Department shall prescribe procedures for the addition of persons registered under this section to the lists of registered voters.

1995, c. 296; 2002, cc. 785, 819; 2015, c. 740; 2020, c. 1153.

Definition [Department]

The state agency headed by the Commissioner of Elections.

See § 24.2-101.

Definition [Polling place]

The structure that contains the one place provided for each precinct at which the qualified voters who are residents of the precinct may vote.

See § 24.2-101.

Definition [United States]

Used in the territorial sense, means the several states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, and any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

See § 24.2-452.

Definition [Registered voter]

Any person who is maintained on the Virginia voter registration system. All registered voters shall be maintained on the Virginia voter registration system with active status unless assigned to inactive status by a general registrar in accordance with Chapter 4 (§ 24.2-400 et seq.). For purposes of applying the precinct size requirements of § 24.2-307, calculating election machine requirements pursuant to Article 3 (§ 24.2-625 et seq.) of Chapter 6, mailing notices of local election district, precinct or polling place changes as required by subdivision 13 of § 24.2-114 and § 24.2-306, and determining the number of signatures required for candidate and voter petitions, “registered voter” shall include only persons maintained on the Virginia voter registration system with active status. For purposes of determining if a signature on a petition shall be included in the count toward meeting the signature requirements of any petition, “registered voter” shall include only persons maintained on the Virginia voter registration system (i) with active status and (ii) on inactive status who are qualified to vote for the office for which the petition was circulated.

See § 24.2-101.

Definition [Uniformed service]

a. Active and reserve components of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard of the United States;

b. The Merchant Marine, the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service, or the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States; or

c. The Virginia National Guard.

See § 24.2-452.

Definition [General Registrar]

The person appointed by the electoral board of a county or city pursuant to § 24.2-110 to be responsible for all aspects of voter registration, in addition to other duties prescribed by this title. When performing duties related to the administration of elections, the general registrar is acting in his capacity as the director of elections for the locality in which he serves.

See § 24.2-101.

Definition [State]

A state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

See § 24.2-452.

Definition [Person]

Any individual or corporation, partnership, business, labor organization, membership organization, association, cooperative, or other like entity.

For the purpose of applying the filing and reporting requirements of this chapter, the term “person” shall not include an organization holding tax-exempt status under § 501(c) (3), 501(c) (4), or 501(c) (6) of the United States Internal Revenue Code which, in providing information to voters, does not advocate or endorse the election or defeat of a particular candidate, group of candidates, or the candidates of a particular political party.

See § 24.2-945.1.

Definition [Election]

A general, primary, or special election.

See § 24.2-101.

Definition [Precinct]

The territory designated by the governing body of a county, city, or town to be served by one polling place.

See § 24.2-101.

Definition [Dependent]

An individual recognized as a dependent by a uniformed service.

See § 24.2-452.