Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia: 1. That §24.2-705.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows: §24.2-705.1. Late applications and in-person absentee voting for business and medical emergencies. Any person registered and otherwise qualified to vote who becomes obligated after 12:00 noon on the Saturday before an election to be absent from his county or city on election day for a purpose pertaining to (i) his business, profession, or occupation, (ii) the hospitalization of the applicant or a member of his immediate family, or (iii) the death of a member of his immediate family, may apply for an absentee ballot and vote absentee in person pursuant to this section and subject to the following conditions: 1. The applicant applies in person for an absentee ballot on the Monday immediately preceding the election, before 2:00 p.m., at the principal office of the registrar; and 2. The applicant signs a statement, which shall be deemed part
of his absentee ballot application and subject to felony penalties for making
false statements pursuant to §24.2-1016, that he is required to leave the
county or city before the opening of the polls on election day for a purpose
pertaining to (i) his business, profession or occupation, (ii) the
hospitalization of the applicant or a member of his immediate family, or (iii)
the death of a member of his immediate family, and that he did not have notice
or knowledge of such required travel prior to 12:00 noon on the immediately
preceding Saturday. "Immediate family" means the children including
adopted children, grandchildren, grandparents, parents, legal guardian,
siblings "Hospitalization" refers to confinement in a hospital as defined in §32.1-123 or 37.2-100 and any comparable hospital in the District of Columbia or any state contiguous to Virginia. |