But what matters is the authenticity of both sets. See the post about people trying to vote, but the records show they already had been issued an absentee ballot, which they had not...?
In Virginia, it doesn’t matter if you have been ISSUED an absentee ballot or not. Your ballot is TRACKED to YOU if you return it.
They are barcoded.
You can go on to the VA Department of Elections and track your ballot from the time it was requested to the time it was received back after you mail it back to the registrar.
If you get the ballot, and for some reason decide NOT to vote by mail, you can vote in person.
Absentee REQUESTS and BALLOTS are two different things.