Virginia Code 24.2-467: Prohibition of nonsubstantive requirements
A. If a voter’s mistake or omission in the completion of a document under this chapter does not prevent determining whether a covered voter is eligible to vote, the mistake or omission does not invalidate the document. Failure to satisfy a nonsubstantive requirement, such as using paper or envelopes of a specified size or weight, does not invalidate a document submitted under this chapter. In a federal write-in absentee ballot authorized by this chapter, if the intention of the voter is discernible under this state‘s uniform definition of what constitutes a vote, an abbreviation, misspelling, or other minor variation in the form of the name of a candidate or a political party must be accepted as a valid vote.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 24.2-467
- Covered voter: means :
a. See Virginia Code 24.2-452
- Federal postcard application: means the application prescribed under § 101(b)(2) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 52 U. See Virginia Code 24.2-452
- Federal write-in absentee ballot: means the ballot described in § 103 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 52 U. See Virginia Code 24.2-452
- political party: means an organization of citizens of the Commonwealth which, at either of the two preceding statewide general elections, received at least 10 percent of the total vote cast for any statewide office filled in that election. See Virginia Code 24.2-101
- State: means 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 Virginia Code 24.2-452
B. Notarization is not required for the execution of a document under this chapter. An authentication, other than the declaration specified in § 24.2-463 or the declaration on the federal postcard application and federal write-in absentee ballot, is not required for execution of a document under this chapter. The declaration and any information in the declaration may be compared with information on file to ascertain the validity of the document.
2012, c. 353.