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Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · Bill

HB 493: Absentee voting; ballots received, marked, and cast electronically through the Internet.

In committee Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

HB 493 is a bill introduced in the Virginia House on January 12, 2026. According to its official title, it concerns: Absentee voting; ballots received, marked, and cast electronically through the Internet. Primary sponsor: Patrick Hope (Democratic). Most recent recorded action (February 13, 2026): Continued to next session in Privileges and Elections (Voice Vote).

Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written

Official summary

Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.

Elections; absentee voting; accessibility; ballots received, marked, and cast electronically through the internet. Requires the Department of Elections to make available to all localities a tool to allow a voter with a visual impairment or print disability or a covered voter to receive, mark, and return his absentee ballot electronically through the internet. The bill makes the tool available through the internet in lieu of other currently available assistive technologies.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Patrick HopePrimary sponsorDemocraticHouse1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

  1. Continued to next session in Privileges and Elections (Voice Vote)
  2. Subcommittee recommends continuing to (Voice Vote)
  3. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB493)
  4. House subcommittee offered
  5. Assigned HPE sub: Election Administration
  6. Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
  7. Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104715D

Sources

  1. Open States / Plural (data from the official legislature website)
  2. Official legislature source