Kaine proposes absentee-balloting expansion

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine proposed legislation yesterday to allow no-excuse, in-person absentee balloting in Virginia — a step he said that effectively would allow early voting in the state.

Kaine described the measure as "a good-government bill" with "a fraud-free environment."

Current law offers prospective voters 17 reasons for casting an absentee ballot, whether in person or by mail, over a 45-day period ahead of an election.

About 500,000 Virginians cast absentee ballots ahead of the Nov. 4 election — 321,743 of them in person. On Nov. 1, the last day to vote absentee in person, some people stood in line for six hours at Richmond's City Hall.

The absentee ballots were among 3.7 million votes cast in Virginia in the presidential election.

"By allowing all voters to cast an absentee ballot in person, we can remove some of the practical barriers that prevent people from participating in the democratic process," Kaine said during a news conference at the state Capitol.

Twenty-six other states allow voters some period in which to cast a vote in advance without stating a reason, according to Kaine's office.

In Virginia, the no-excuse proposal has been introduced previously and killed by a House of Delegates subcommittee controlled by Republicans.

"Voting is easy," said Del. Jeffrey M. Frederick, R-Prince William, noting current law allows Virginians many excuses to cast absentee ballots. He said he is concerned that the no-excuse feature might lead to fraud.

"Voting is a responsibility, it should not be like shopping the Internet," Frederick said, emphasizing that he was speaking for himself and not on behalf of the Republican Party of Virginia, of which he is chairman.

Del. Mark L. Cole, R-Spotsylvania, chairman of the House committee that handles voting issues, said registrars last year complained they would have to add staff and increase their costs if the measure passed.

Under the Kaine proposal, voters would continue to have a 45-day period to vote early and would cast ballots at their registrar's office.

Kaine said momentum from the presidential election, which spurred a record turnout and record number of absentee votes in Virginia, plus the fact that House of Delegates Republicans have decided to allow recorded votes in subcommittees, improves the bill's chances in the General Assembly session that begins Wednesday.

A subcommittee of the House Privileges and Elections Committee killed the measure without a recorded vote last year, after it passed the Senate 31-9.

The League of Women Voters, the Virginia Electoral Board Association, and the Voter Registrars Association of Virginia back the measure.

Kaine said the proposal could save money, because election officials wouldn't have to buy new voting equipment to accommodate heavy voting on Election Day and won't have to hire as much staff to work at the polls.

Dels. Rosalyn R. Dance, D-Petersburg, and Robert H. Brink, D-Arlington, will sponsor the measure in the House. Sen. Janet D. Howell, D-Fairfax, is the Senate sponsor.

Kaine dismissed criticism that early voting might lock a voter into an unfortunate choice because of late-breaking news detrimental to the candidate.

"Voters who go to vote early only go when they've made up their mind. If they're still trying to decide, they don't," he said.