The election is November 3. If a citizen voter is serious enough to request an absentee ballot in time to participate in the scheduled voting event then they are wise enough to obtain a postmark no later than the day of the physical vote - this year 3 November. Counting late postmarked absentee ballots makes a mockery of the voting/electing process and imposes uncertainty in an event that demands punctuality and finality, and by extension, equates Virginia voting management akin to New Jersey's - a total embarrassment. A public hearing on the proposal to count absentee ballots postmarked after 3 November is essential to ensure that the Virginia legislature properly expresses the will of the voting public through its legislation and regulations.