Early voting for the 2024 election begins on Friday

Town Council elections in Louisa, Mineral, and Scottsville

There are 47 days until Election Day which for many years was the only way available for most people to cast a ballot. Due to a series of reforms including the lingering effects of the pandemic, there are two days until anyone can begin voting early and in-person. 

“To vote early in-person, registered voters should go to the general registrar’s office for the jurisdiction in which they are registered, present their ID and cast a ballot,” reads an announcement sent out by the Virginia Department of Elections on Wednesday. 

To find out where the registrar is located in your community, the Department of Elections has a website where you can look up that information. Early voting takes place through November 2 and Charlottesville Community Engagement will provide updates on how many people have taken advantage. (visit the website)

All eligible voters can also request an absentee ballot, a change from previous years when access to this form of voting was restricted to certain categories. If you’ve requested one already, mailings will go out on September 20. The deadline to request a ballot is October 25, and you can find out information about how to do so on the Department of Elections’ website.  (visit the website)

The deadline to register to vote is October 15, but after that date people can register to vote on the same day but their ballot will be considered provisional. 

“Curbside voting is also available for those with disabilities and those over 65 who wish to vote in person,” the announcement continues. “Contact your general registrar’s office for more information regarding voting hours, additional locations and ballot drop boxes.” 

All of Virginia’s eleven Congressional seats are up for election as is the Senate seat held by Senator Tim Kaine. There is also a proposed amendment to the Virginia Constitution. 

“Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended so that the tax exemption that is currently available to the surviving spouses of soldiers killed in action is also available to the surviving spouses of soldiers who died in the line of duty?” 

You can learn more about that question at the Virginia Department of Election’s website. 

Three seats up for election on Scottsville Town Council but only one person on ballot

There are no local referendums in any of the localities in the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission in the November 5  election. Albemarle County has one School Board race in the Rio District. 

There are elections in the Town of Scottsville as Scottsville District Supervisor Michael Pruitt told the Board of Supervisors in late August. 

“There is one race for the Mayor’s office,” Pruitt said. “The two candidates who have registered and will appear on the ballot are the incumbent Ron Smith as well as current Council member Eddie Payne.” 

There are also three seats on Town Council set to expire, but only one of the incumbents is officially running for another term.

“Only Alex Bessette has actually fully registered his candidacy so only he will appear on the ballot and voters will have to write in other responses,” Pruitt said. 

There are also races for the elected bodies in the incorporated towns of Louisa and Mineral. 

Three candidates are seeking two seats in a special election for the six-member Mineral Town Council.  On the ballot are C Blair Nipper, David E. Hempstead, and Rebecca T. “Becky” McGehee. Hempstead is an incumbent. 

There are four candidates seeking three seats in an election for the five-member Louisa Town Council. Daniel R. Crawford, Jessi J. Lassiter, Roger W. Henry, and Sylvia L. Rigsby are on the ballot. Rigsby and Lassiter are incumbents. 

The Mayor is elected separately in both towns, but not this year. 

There is also an election for the Board of Supervisors for the Stanardsville District. Incumbent Steve Catalano is the only candidate. 

In Nelson County there is an election for Treasurer and Neely T. Hull is the only candidate. Hull is serving in the position on an interim basis after the retirement of Angela Hicks. 

Before you go: The time to write and research of this article is covered by paid subscribers to Charlottesville Community Engagement. In fact, this particular installment is from the September 18, 2024 edition of the newsletter. To ensure this research can be sustained, please consider becoming a paid subscriber or contributing monthly through Patreon.