The House subcommittee on elections considered four bills on voting access and election administration during a session of the 2025 legislative session, tabling three and reporting one to the full committee.

The measures would shorten early in-person absentee and early-voting windows and change voter-registration deadlines. Supporters, including several registrars and electoral-board representatives, said the changes would reduce costs and staff burnout. Opponents, including civil-rights and youth groups, said the proposals would reduce access for young and marginalized voters and roll back protections enacted in 2020–21.

House Bill 16‑52, patroned by Delegate White, would shorten the early-voting window from 45 days to 14 days, remove any ballot drop boxes and require a valid photo ID to cast a ballot. Delegate White described the bill as a response to what he called the operational strain on local registrars and a way to reduce unfunded costs. Melody Clark of Virginia Institute Action testified in favor, saying Virginia’s 45‑day early-voting window is among the longest in the nation and that cutting it would save “the Commonwealth a lot of money.” Opponents included Tram Nguyen of New Virginia Majority, Valerie Slater of Rise for Youth and Queena Daley of the Virginia State NAACP, who said the change would roll back access expanded in 2020 and 2021 and disproportionately affect marginalized communities. The subcommittee moved to table HB 16‑52; the motion carried 5–3 and the bill was tabled.

House Bill 17‑35, patroned by Delegate Cole, would change the deadline for adding new traditional voter registrations by moving the close of the poll books from 21 days before a primary or general election to 10 days before the election (and similarly reduce the special-election cutoff described in current practice). Delegate Cole said the aim was to reduce the number of same‑day provisional ballots and ease processing for registrars; the transcript records a cited figure of 89,362 same‑day provisional ballots cast in the previous year. Registrars and the Virginia Electoral Boards Association testified in favor; New Virginia Majority, the NAACP, and Rise for Youth also registered support. The subcommittee voted to report HB 17‑35 to the full committee on an 8–0 vote.

House Bill 15‑73, presented by Delegate Green, would limit in‑person absentee (early) voting to 10 days and extend daily hours to 7 a.m.–7 p.m. The bill’s supporters, including Dr. Clarabel Wheeler (who identified herself as an electoral-board member and former chief officer of elections) and Melody Clark, argued the change would reduce registrar burnout and cut costs. Delegate Green and supporters cited an estimated per‑poll cost of about $2,500 per day and estimated statewide savings of roughly $12–13 million if the early‑voting period were shortened. Opponents, including New Virginia Majority, Rise for Youth and the Virginia NAACP, said cutting the window to 10 days would risk longer lines and reduced turnout for workers, students and other voters with constrained schedules. Delegate Henson moved to table HB 15‑73; the motion carried 5–3 and the bill was tabled.

House Bill 15‑74, also presented by Delegate Green as a substituted bill, would similarly limit early‑voting days for primary elections—reducing the early‑voting period cited in the bill text from 45 days to 10—and reflected concerns about candidates dropping out during long early‑voting windows. Supporters again argued cost savings and administrative relief; opponents raised concerns about voter confusion and access. The subcommittee voted to table HB 15‑74, 5–3.

Votes at a glance

- HB 16‑52 (shorten early voting to 14 days; remove drop boxes; require photo ID) — Motion to table carried 5–3; outcome: tabled.
- HB 17‑35 (allow registration closer to election: close poll books 10 days before election) — reported to full committee 8–0; outcome: reported.
- HB 15‑73 (limit in‑person absentee to 10 days; extend hours 7 a.m.–7 p.m.) — Motion to table carried 5–3; outcome: tabled.
- HB 15‑74 (limit primary early‑voting period to 10 days as substituted) — Motion to table carried 5–3; outcome: tabled.

Discussion and concerns

Supporters pressed that the bills would reduce fixed local costs and relieve exhausted registrar staff who must treat every open day as an election day for staffing and reconciliation. Opponents warned that shortening windows would reduce opportunities for people juggling work and school to vote, disproportionately affecting young and marginalized voters; some opponents framed the proposals as rolling back access achieved in 2020–21. Several witnesses and members asked for additional data and for continued negotiations on alternatives such as expanded hours, higher pay for temporary staff, or other operational fixes.

The subcommittee’s action concluded with the tabling of three measures and the reporting of HB 17‑35 to the full committee. The transcript shows public-comment exchanges, testimony from registrars and electoral boards, and repeated statements from civil‑rights and youth organizations.