24.2-705.1 - Late applications and in-person absentee voting for business and medical emergencies.
§ 24.2-705.1. Late applications and in-person absentee voting for businessand medical emergencies.
Any person registered and otherwise qualified to vote who becomes obligatedafter 12:00 noon on the Saturday before an election to be absent from hiscounty or city on election day for a purpose pertaining to (i) his business,profession, or occupation, (ii) the hospitalization of the applicant or amember of his immediate family, or (iii) the death of a member of hisimmediate family, may apply for an absentee ballot and vote absentee inperson pursuant to this section and subject to the following conditions:
1. The applicant applies in person for an absentee ballot on the Mondayimmediately preceding the election, before 2:00 p.m., at the principal officeof the registrar; and
2. The applicant signs a statement, which shall be deemed part of hisabsentee ballot application and subject to felony penalties for making falsestatements pursuant to § 24.2-1016, that he is required to leave the countyor city before the opening of the polls on election day for a purposepertaining to (i) his business, profession or occupation, (ii) thehospitalization of the applicant or a member of his immediate family, or(iii) the death of a member of his immediate family, and that he did not havenotice or knowledge of such required travel prior to 12:00 noon on theimmediately preceding Saturday. "Immediate family" means the childrenincluding adopted children, grandchildren, grandparents, parents, legalguardian, siblings, whether of the whole or half blood, and spouse of theapplicant.
"Hospitalization" refers to confinement in a hospital as defined in §32.1-123 or 37.2-100 and any comparable hospital in the District of Columbiaor any state contiguous to Virginia.
(1997, c. 464; 2001, c. 622; 2008, c. 880; 2010, c. 539.)