Privileges And Elections

Friday, February 27, 2026·▶ Watch / Listen

Virginia's Privileges and Elections Committee advanced eight bills covering Sunday voting, ballot processing, campaign finance reform, candidate filing deadlines, and local charter changes, while carrying over an absentee ballot counting bill to the 2027 session and re-referring a synthetic media bill to another committee.

Key Actions

·SB 34 – Technical Fix to Voter Registration LanguagePassed

+ 8 more actions

Controversies

Staffing availability for Sunday voting under SB 438

Delegate Cherry argued against SB 438, stating her locality — described as one of the larger ones — reported that only 13 out of 167 election staff would be available on a Sunday, saying 'I can't support' the bill on those grounds. Senator Bagby did not directly rebut this specific data point, acknowledging only that registrars were split: 'Some like it, some don't.'

+ 4 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“I don't like the Citizens United case. I think the Citizens United case is the main thing that's standing between us and having any kind of meaningful campaign finance reform. No matter what kind of caps we do or limits we put on donors, they're going to be able to evade them no matter what, as long as Citizens United is the law of the land in the United States.”
Senator Surovell — Senator Surovell, patron of SB 688, explained why he structured the campaign finance bill as a trigger law contingent on Citizens United being overturned rather than imposing immediate contribution limits.

+ 4 more quotes

Votes

Adopt substitute for SB 34No Vote

Report SB 34 with substitutePassed

Adopt substitute for SB 123No Vote

Report SB 123 with substitutePassed

Adopt line amendment for SB 438No Vote

Report SB 438 as amendedPassed

Report SB 169Passed

Report SB 126Passed

Adopt substitute for SB 688 (striking enactments 1, 2, and 4)No Vote

Report SB 688 substitutePassed

Adopt amendment for SB 350No Vote

Carry over SB 350 to 2027 session under Rule 22No Vote

Adopt first amendment for SB 582 (delayed enactment to September 1, 2026)No Vote

Adopt second amendment for SB 582 (strike lines 45 and 46)No Vote

Report SB 582 with substitutePassed

Re-refer SB 141 to CTI committeeNo Vote

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TranscriptPreview

Good morning. I call this meeting of the Privileges and Elections Committee to order. If the clerk will please open the rolls and members show your presence. And we do have a forum. Thank you. We're going to hear some Senate bills. We're going to hear some Senate bills today. We have one that is identical to a House bill we've already voted on and that Senate Bill 34. And I'd like a motion on a substitute move. The substitute seconded. It's been moved and properly seconded that we would adopt a substitute. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? And so, Mr. Attorney, if you would like to tell us how that fits in with some of the other bills that we've seen of that type. Yeah. Madam Clerk, this bill just makes a technical fix. There were some conflicting language and sections that were both amended by this bill. And then HB 964 and SB 162, which we also passed out of this body. So this just harmonizes everything. Are there any questions? Seeing none. Can I get a motion on Senate Bill 34 as with substitute report of substituted. It's been moved and properly…

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