By Taylor Boyd
Early voting in Patrick County continues, and as of last week, about 800 voters cast an early in-person ballot, according to Patrick County Registrar Susan Taylor.
There is no wait time for most, and if there is, it’s minimal, Taylor said, adding that early in-person voting is available at her office in the Patrick County Veterans Memorial Building, Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Early voting is “just like (voting on) November 3, but early. The only thing people need is a form of identification. It doesn’t have to be a photo ID. It just needs to have their name and address on it.”
Those who requested a mail-in ballot but decided to vote in person must bring their mail-in ballot with them when casting a ballot, Taylor said, adding that is to ensure people do not vote more than once.
Those who prefer to vote by mail may do so. The last day to request an absentee ballot is Friday, October 23, at 5 p.m., according to the Virginia Department of Elections.
Absentee ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by Election Day, November 3, and received by the local voter registration office by noon on Friday, November 6.
Voters also can drop off their marked and sealed ballots at their general registrar’s office or polling place up to 7 p.m. on Election Day.
A reason to vote absentee is no longer needed. Any registered voter may request an absentee ballot, either in-person or by mail. Voters can request a mailed ballot online at www.elections.virginia.gov/voterInformation or by contacting their local voter registration office and asking for an application.
Voters can track the status of their ballot applications online at www.elections.virginia.gov/voterInformation.
In addition to regularly scheduled hours, local voter registration offices will be open Saturday, October 24, and Saturday, October 31, for early in-person voting.
Early in-person voting ends October 31.
Voters do not have to fill out an application to vote in person. Voters can go to their general registrar’s office or satellite voting location, show identification (ID), and cast a ballot.
For more information about acceptable IDs, visit www.elections.virginia.gov/voterID.
If you believe you may not safely have a witness present while completing the absentee ballot for the November 3 election, you are not required to have a witness present. Also, if you are blind, have low vision, or have impaired manual dexterity, you have the option of voting an absentee ballot using an electronic ballot-marking tool.
Voters with questions about absentee, mail-in, and in-person voting or any aspect of the November 3 election may call the Virginia Department of Elections at (800) 552-9745, email the department at info@elections.virginia.gov, or visit our website at elections.virginia.gov.
