Virginia 2020 Regular Session Status: Enacted

HB 237 — Electoral boards, local; terms to begin January 1.

Last action — Approved by Governor-Chapter 287 (effective 7/1/20)

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed House of Delegates
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced December 30, 2019. Enacted.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 72% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 2 sponsors

    1 primary, 1 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 6 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

Local electoral boards; terms to begin January 1. Provides for terms of local electoral board members to begin on January 1. If the results of an election have not been certified by the board or a recount of an election has not concluded, the term will expire at midnight on the day the results are certified or the recount is concluded, instead of December 31. Under current law, terms begin March 1.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

185 added · 7 removed

Plain-language change summary

The changes to Bill HB 237 include a provision that allows the chief judge to appoint a temporary member to the electoral board on a meeting-to-meeting basis, enhancing flexibility in board operations. Additionally, the deadline for appointments has been adjusted to specify January 15 as the latest date unless election results are still pending. These amendments aim to ensure electoral boards have necessary representation and function smoothly, particularly during busy election periods.

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SESSION history | hilite | pdf | print version CHAPTER 287 An Act to amend and reenact § 24.2-106 of the Code of Virginia, relating to local electoral boards;
terms to begin January 1.
[H 237] Approved March 11, 2020   Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1.
That § 24.2-106 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 24.2-106.
Appointment and terms;
vacancies;
chairman and secretary;
certain prohibitions;
training.
A.
There shall be in each county and city an electoral board composed of three members who shall be appointed by the chief judge of the judicial circuit for the county or city or that judge's designee.
Such designee shall be any other judge who sits in the judicial circuit.
Any vacancy occurring on a board shall be filled by the same authority for the unexpired term.
In the event of the temporary absence, or disability that precludes the performance of duties, of one or more members that prevents attaining a quorum, the chief judge or his designee, for good cause, may appoint, on a meeting-to-meeting basis, a temporary member to the electoral board.
The temporary appointee must be eligible for appointment and to the extent practicable maintain representation of political parties under this section.
The clerk of the circuit court shall send to the State Board a copy of each order making an appointment to an electoral board.
In the appointment of the electoral board, representation shall be given to each of the two political parties having the highest and next highest number of votes in the Commonwealth for Governor at the last preceding gubernatorial election.
Two electoral board members shall be of the political party that cast the highest number of votes for Governor at that election.
When the Governor was not elected as the candidate of a political party, representation shall be given to each of the political parties having the highest and next highest number of members of the General Assembly at the time of the appointment and two board members shall be of the political party having the highest number of members in the General Assembly.
The political party entitled to the appointment shall make and file recommendations with the judges for the appointment not later than January 15 of the year of an appointment to a full term December 15 of the year of an expiration of a term or, in the case of an appointment to fill a vacancy, within 30 days of the date of death or notice of resignation of the member being replaced.
Its recommendations shall contain the names of at least three qualified voters of the county or city for each appointment.
The chief judge, or his designee, shall promptly make such appointment from the recommendations (i) after receipt of the political party's recommendation or (ii) after January 15 December 15 for a full term or after the 30-day period expires for a vacancy appointment, whichever of the events described in clause (i) or (ii) first occurs.
The chief judge of the judicial circuit for the county or city, or his designee, shall not appoint to the electoral board (a) any person who is the spouse of an electoral board member or the general registrar for the county or city;
(b) any person, or the spouse of any person, who is the parent, grandparent, sibling, child, or grandchild of an electoral board member or the general registrar of the county or city;
or (c) any person who is ineligible to serve under the provisions of this section.
Electoral board members shall serve three-year terms and be appointed to staggered terms, one term to expire at midnight on the last day of February December each year, unless the results of an election have not been certified by the board or a recount of an election has not concluded, in which case the term shall expire at midnight on the day the results are certified or the recount is concluded.
No three-year term shall be shortened to comply with the political party representation requirements of this section.
B.
The board shall elect one of its members as chairman and another as secretary.
The chairman and the secretary shall represent different political parties, unless the representative of the second-ranked political party declines in writing to accept the unfilled office.
At any time that the secretary is incapacitated in such a way that makes it impossible for the secretary to carry out the duties of the position, the board may designate one of its other members as acting secretary.
Any such designation shall be made in an open meeting and recorded in the minutes of the board.
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The secretary of the electoral board shall immediately notify the State Board of any change in the membership or officers of the electoral board and shall keep the Board informed of the name, residence and mailing addresses, and home and business telephone numbers of each electoral board member.
C.
No member of an electoral board shall be eligible to offer for or hold an office to be filled in whole or in part by qualified voters of his jurisdiction.
If a member resigns to offer for or hold such office, the vacancy shall be filled as provided in this section.
No member of an electoral board shall be the spouse, grandparent, parent, sibling, child, or grandchild, or the spouse of a grandparent, parent, sibling, child, or grandchild, of a candidate for or holder of an elective office filled in whole or in part by any voters within the jurisdiction of the electoral board.
No member of an electoral board shall serve as the chairman of a state, local or district level political party committee or as a paid worker in the campaign of a candidate for nomination or election to an office filled by election in whole or in part by the qualified voters of the jurisdiction of the electoral board.
D.
Each member of the electoral board shall attend an annual training program provided by the State Board during the first year of his appointment and the first year of any subsequent reappointment.
2.
That the terms of persons serving as members of local electoral boards prior to the effective date of this act shall expire as follows:
(i) a term set to expire on February 28, 2021, shall expire on December 31, 2020;
(ii) a term set to expire on February 28, 2022, shall expire on December 31, 2021;
and (iii) a term set to expire on February 28, 2023, shall expire on December 31, 2022.
View plain text versions (4)

Action History

  1. Approved by Governor-Chapter 287 (effective 7/1/20)

  2. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 12, 2020

  3. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 5, 2020

  4. Signed by President

  5. Signed by Speaker

  6. Impact statement from DPB (HB237ER)

  7. Enrolled

  8. Passed Senate (35-Y 0-N)

  9. Read third time

  10. Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N)

  11. Reported from Privileges and Elections (13-Y 0-N 1-A)

  12. Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

  13. Constitutional reading dispensed

  14. Impact statement from DPB (HB237E)

  15. VOTE: Passage (98-Y 1-N)

  16. Read third time and passed House (98-Y 1-N)

  17. Printed as engrossed 20101266D-E

  18. Engrossed by House as amended HB237E

  19. Committee amendment agreed to

  20. Read second time

  21. Read first time

  22. Reported from Privileges and Elections with amendment (20-Y 1-N)

  23. House committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered

  24. Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 0-N)

  25. Impact statement from DPB (HB237)

  26. Assigned P & E sub: Gubernatorial Appointments

  27. Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections

  28. Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/08/20 20101266D

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 146 not signed on · 2 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (1)

Not signed on (146)

146 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 146 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Passed Senate (35-Y 0-N)

Passed 35 Yea · 0 Nay · 5 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 35005
Total 35005
% of votes cast 88%0%0%13%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Chafin, A. Benton "Ben" — Yea
McClellan, Jennifer L. — Yea
Morrissey, Joseph D. — Yea
Spruill, Lionell, Sr. — Yea
Barbara A. Favola — Yea
Barker, George L. — Yea
Bell, John J. — Yea
Bill DeSteph — Yea
Bryce E. Reeves — Yea
Chase, Amanda F. — Yea
Cosgrove, John A., Jr. — Yea
David R. Suetterlein — Yea
David W. Marsden — Yea
Dunnavant, Siobhan S. — Yea
Ebbin, Adam P. — Yea
Edwards, John S. — Not Voting
Hanger, Emmett W., Jr. — Yea
Hashmi, Ghazala F. — Yea
Howell, Janet D. — Yea
Jennifer B. Boysko — Yea
Jeremy S. McPike — Not Voting
Kiggans, Jennifer A. — Yea
L. Louise Lucas — Yea
Lewis, Lynwood W., Jr. — Yea
Mamie E. Locke — Yea
Mark D. Obenshain — Yea
Mark J. Peake — Yea
Mason, T. Montgomery "Monty" — Yea
Newman, Stephen D. — Not Voting
Norment, Thomas K., Jr. — Yea
Petersen, J. Chapman — Yea
R. Creigh Deeds — Yea
Richard H. Stuart — Yea
Ruff, Frank M., Jr. — Yea
Ryan T. McDougle — Yea
Saslaw, Richard L. — Yea
Scott A. Surovell — Not Voting
Todd E. Pillion — Yea
Vogel, Jill Holtzman — Not Voting
William M. Stanley, Jr. — Yea

Official roll call →

Passed 40 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 40000
Total 40000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Chafin, A. Benton "Ben" — Yea
McClellan, Jennifer L. — Yea
Morrissey, Joseph D. — Yea
Spruill, Lionell, Sr. — Yea
Barbara A. Favola — Yea
Barker, George L. — Yea
Bell, John J. — Yea
Bill DeSteph — Yea
Bryce E. Reeves — Yea
Chase, Amanda F. — Yea
Cosgrove, John A., Jr. — Yea
David R. Suetterlein — Yea
David W. Marsden — Yea
Dunnavant, Siobhan S. — Yea
Ebbin, Adam P. — Yea
Edwards, John S. — Yea
Hanger, Emmett W., Jr. — Yea
Hashmi, Ghazala F. — Yea
Howell, Janet D. — Yea
Jennifer B. Boysko — Yea
Jeremy S. McPike — Yea
Kiggans, Jennifer A. — Yea
L. Louise Lucas — Yea
Lewis, Lynwood W., Jr. — Yea
Mamie E. Locke — Yea
Mark D. Obenshain — Yea
Mark J. Peake — Yea
Mason, T. Montgomery "Monty" — Yea
Newman, Stephen D. — Yea
Norment, Thomas K., Jr. — Yea
Petersen, J. Chapman — Yea
R. Creigh Deeds — Yea
Richard H. Stuart — Yea
Ruff, Frank M., Jr. — Yea
Ryan T. McDougle — Yea
Saslaw, Richard L. — Yea
Scott A. Surovell — Yea
Todd E. Pillion — Yea
Vogel, Jill Holtzman — Yea
William M. Stanley, Jr. — Yea

Official roll call →

Passed 13 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 13001
Total 13001
% of votes cast 93%0%0%7%
How each member voted (14)
Member Party Vote
Spruill, Lionell, Sr. — Yea
Chafin, A. Benton "Ben" — Yea
McClellan, Jennifer L. — Yea
Bell, John J. — Yea
Bryce E. Reeves — Yea
Ebbin, Adam P. — Yea
Howell, Janet D. — Yea
Jennifer B. Boysko — Yea
Mark J. Peake — Yea
Mason, T. Montgomery "Monty" — Yea
R. Creigh Deeds — Yea
Ruff, Frank M., Jr. — Not Voting
Ryan T. McDougle — Yea
Scott A. Surovell — Yea

Official roll call →

VOTE: Passage (98-Y 1-N)

Passed 97 Yea · 1 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 97101
Total 97101
% of votes cast 98%1%0%1%
How each member voted (99)
Member Party Vote
Brewer, Emily M. — Yea
Collins, Christopher E. — Yea
Lindsey, Joseph C. — Yea
Adams, Dawn M. — Yea
Adams, Les R. — Yea
Aird, Lashrecse D. — Yea
Alfonso H. Lopez — Yea
Askew, Alex Q. — Yea
Avoli, G. "John" — Yea
Ayala, Hala S. — Yea
Batten, Amanda E. — Yea
Bell, Robert B. — Yea
Betsy B. Carr — Yea
Bourne, Jeffrey M. — Yea
Bulova, David L. — Yea
Byron, Kathy J. — Yea
C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr. — Yea
Campbell, Jeffrey L. — Yea
Campbell, Ronnie R. — Nay
Carroll Foy, Jennifer D. — Yea
Carter, Lee J. — Yea
Charniele L. Herring — Yea
Chris S. Runion — Yea
Christopher T. Head — Yea
Cole, Mark L. — Yea
Convirs-Fowler, Kelly K. — Yea
Cox, M. Kirkland — Yea
Coyner, Carrie E. — Yea
Dan I. Helmer — Yea
Danica A. Roem — Yea
David A. Reid — Yea
Davis, Glenn R. — Not Voting
Delores L. McQuinn — Yea
Don Scott — Yea
Edmunds, James E., II — Yea
Fariss, C. Matthew — Yea
Fowler, Hyland F."Buddy," Jr. — Yea
Freitas, Nicholas J. — Yea
Gilbert, C. Todd — Yea
Gooditis, Wendy W. — Yea
Guy, Nancy D. — Yea
Guzman, Elizabeth R. — Yea
Heretick, Steve E. — Yea
Hudson, Sally L. — Yea
Hurst, Chris L. — Yea
Israel D. O'Quinn — Yea
James A. "Jay" Leftwich — Yea
James W. Morefield — Yea
Jeion A. Ward — Yea
Jenkins, Clinton L. — Yea
Jones, Jerrauld C. "Jay" — Yea
Joseph P. McNamara — Yea
Joshua G. Cole — Yea
Karrie K. Delaney — Yea
Kathy K.L. Tran — Yea
Keam, Mark L. — Yea
Knight, Barry D. — Yea
Kory, Kaye — Yea
LaRock, Dave A. — Yea
Lamont Bagby — Yea
Levine, Mark H. — Yea
Luke E. Torian — Yea
M. Keith Hodges — Yea
Marcia S. "Cia" Price — Yea
Marcus B. Simon — Yea
Marshall, Daniel W., III — Yea
McGuire, John J., III — Yea
Michael J. Webert — Yea
Miyares, Jason S. — Yea
Mugler, Martha M. — Yea
Mullin, Michael P. — Yea
Murphy, Kathleen — Yea
Orrock, Robert D., Sr. — Yea
Patrick A. Hope — Yea
Paul E. Krizek — Yea
Plum, Kenneth R. — Yea
Poindexter, Charles D. — Yea
R. Lee Ware — Yea
Ransone, Margaret B. — Yea
Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr. — Yea
Robert S. Bloxom, Jr. — Yea
Robinson, Roxann L. — Yea
Rodney T. Willett — Yea
Rush, Nick — Yea
Sam Rasoul — Yea
Samirah, Ibraheem S. — Yea
Schuyler T. VanValkenburg — Yea
Scott A. Wyatt — Yea
Shelly A. Simonds — Yea
Sickles, Mark D. — Yea
Subramanyam, Suhas — Yea
Terry G. Kilgore — Yea
Terry L. Austin — Yea
Thomas C. Wright, Jr. — Yea
Tony O. Wilt — Yea
Tyler, Roslyn C. — Yea
Vivian E. Watts — Yea
Wampler, William C., III — Yea
Wendell S. Walker — Yea

Official roll call →

Passed 20 Yea · 1 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 20101
Total 20101
% of votes cast 91%5%0%5%
How each member voted (22)
Member Party Vote
Lindsey, Joseph C. — Yea
Adams, Dawn M. — Yea
Adams, Les R. — Nay
Askew, Alex Q. — Yea
Chris S. Runion — Yea
Christopher T. Head — Yea
Cole, Mark L. — Yea
Convirs-Fowler, Kelly K. — Yea
David A. Reid — Yea
Israel D. O'Quinn — Yea
Levine, Mark H. — Not Voting
Marcia S. "Cia" Price — Yea
Marcus B. Simon — Yea
McGuire, John J., III — Yea
Orrock, Robert D., Sr. — Yea
Paul E. Krizek — Yea
Robert S. Bloxom, Jr. — Yea
Rush, Nick — Yea
Sam Rasoul — Yea
Schuyler T. VanValkenburg — Yea
Shelly A. Simonds — Yea
Sickles, Mark D. — Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

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Frequently asked questions

What does HB 237 do?
Local electoral boards; terms to begin January 1. Provides for terms of local electoral board members to begin on January 1. If the results of an election have not been certified by the board or a recount of an election has not concluded, the term will expire at midnight on the day the results are certified or the recount is concluded, instead of December 31. Under current law, terms begin March 1.
Who sponsors HB 237?
HB 237 is sponsored by Mark D. Sickles and Chase, Amanda F..
What is the current status of HB 237?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced December 30, 2019. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 237?
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