The 2026 session of the Virginia General Assembly saw the approval of House Bill 111, a piece of legislation that imposes new restrictions on the cancellation of voter registrations by general registrars throughout the state. Introduced by Delegate Amy Laufer, this bill amends section 24.2-427 of the Code of Virginia to specify the limited circumstances and sources under which a voter’s registration can be canceled.
The core provision of the bill states that, except on the basis of a written request from the voter to have his registration cancelled or a certified or authenticated copy of a death certificate purporting to be issued by a governmental official or agency, the general registrar may not cancel the registration of any voter based on data or reports provided to him by any source other than the Department of Elections or a state agency approved to provide such data or reports by the State Board of Elections. This language directly limits the types of information that can be used to update or clean the voter rolls in Virginia’s localities.
In addition to these restrictions on data sources, the legislation reinstates a provision that prohibits the general registrar from canceling the registration of certain members of the uniformed services of the United States who are on active duty. It also extends this protection to certain persons who reside temporarily outside of the United States, as well as any spouse or dependent residing with such persons. These protections ensure that individuals in military service or living abroad for temporary periods, along with their families, maintain their registration status without risk of cancellation due to their circumstances.
The bill’s passage occurred in stages during the legislative session. On February 17, 2026, the House of Delegates read the bill for a third time and passed it by a vote of 61 yeas to 35 nays. The measure then moved to the Senate, where on February 26, 2026, the constitutional reading was dispensed with, and the bill was passed by a block vote with 40 yeas, zero nays, and zero abstentions.
Following these approvals in both chambers, House Bill 111 has advanced to the stage known as the Governor’s Recommendation. The Governor has submitted a recommendation for the enrolled version of the bill. This recommendation involves inserting a new clause after line 67 of the enrolled bill. The added language specifies that the provisions of this act shall not become effective unless reenacted by the General Assembly. This conditional aspect may require additional action in a future legislative session before the changes to voter registration procedures can take effect.
The amendments to section 24.2-427 detailed in the bill begin with the existing allowance for any registered voter to cancel his registration and have his name removed from the central registration records by signing an authorization for cancellation. The new restrictions build upon this foundation by narrowing the external data that can trigger cancellations by the general registrar.
This approach to voter registration maintenance will impact how election officials in Virginia’s counties and cities handle updates to the voter database. General registrars will now be required to source any data for cancellations exclusively from the Department of Elections or agencies pre-approved by the State Board of Elections, with the noted exceptions for voter-initiated cancellations and verified death certificates.
The requirement for death certificates to be certified or authenticated and to purport issuance by a governmental official or agency provides a specific standard for that method of cancellation. This ensures a documented and official basis for removing deceased individuals from the rolls under the new rules.
By reinstating the protections for uniformed service members, overseas residents, and their families, the bill addresses potential issues that could arise from temporary changes in residence or status due to military obligations or international living arrangements. These individuals often face challenges in maintaining continuous registration, and the reinstated provision safeguards against automatic cancellations in such cases.
The overall effect of House Bill 111 is to create a more controlled framework for the cancellation of voter registrations in Virginia. The central role of the Department of Elections and the State Board of Elections in approving data sources means that local general registrars will have less latitude in utilizing a wide range of information to keep voter lists accurate and up to date.
During the 2026 Regular Session, this bill was one of several measures related to elections that received consideration from lawmakers. Its approval in both houses and subsequent referral for gubernatorial review mark important milestones in the legislative process for this particular piece of election law reform.
The text of the bill includes standard introductory language identifying the patrons and the specific code section being amended and reenacted. The detailed summary and provisions provide clear guidance on the new limitations and reinstated protections.
As Virginia prepares for future elections, the implementation of these changes, pending any reenactment as recommended by the Governor, will shape the procedures used by general registrars in their ongoing work to manage voter registrations effectively.
The bill’s focus on approved sources for data and the specific exceptions outlined ensure that cancellations are handled through established and verified channels, promoting a standardized approach across the state.
This legislation, having navigated the House and Senate with the recorded votes, now awaits the outcome of the Governor’s Recommendation process to determine its final form and effective date.
