COURTHOUSE — A congressional contest with national implications between U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria, a Democrat who represents Virginia’s 2nd District, and Republican challenger Jen Kiggans, a state senator from Virginia Beach, will be on every ballot in our city this year.
But, for the first time, not every local City Council and School Board race will be on all ballots when early in-person voting begins on Friday, Sept. 23.
Virginia Beach will use a 10-district system after a federal judge ordered it into being after the city lost a voting rights lawsuit last year. Due to the suit and state law changes, the former at-large voting system is done.
The city succeeded in appealing the ruling, but the elections this year will proceed under the new system – with no guarantee it will continue past this year.
This year, there are seven City Council elections and six School Board elections on the ballot, but only residents within the districts will select the people who represent them. In the past, even Virginia Beach voters living outside a district helped determine its representation. Sample ballot guides are online at this link.
Elections officials have adjusted boundaries and created new precincts to accommodate changes and redistricting, and they say voters will be notified of changes by mail. And there are many. About 20,000 voters will change polling locations this year, according to the city.
There are resources to help voters navigate changes. Christine Lewis, director of Virginia Beach Department of Voter Registration and Elections, said people can look up polling locations online via the state elections website. Additional voter information is online at the city website.
The city has information about the new 10 district system online at this link. The Independent News has reported extensively about the changes and local races.
- Election Day is on Tuesday, Nov. 8. According to the state elections department, key dates related to the elections include the first day of in-person early voting on Friday, Sept. 23, at the local registrar’s office.
- The deadline to register to vote or update registration is Monday, Oct. 17. People who want a ballot to be mailed to them must request this from the local registrar before 5 p.m., Friday, Oct. 28.
- Voted ballots must be returned to the registrar’s office by 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 8. A drop box behind Building 14 at the municipal center is available until 7 p.m., Election Day, and a ballot returned by mail must be postmarked on or before Tuesday, Nov. 8, and be received by Monday, Nov. 14.
- Early in-person voting at the Voter Registration & Elections Department, Building 14, 2449 Princess Anne Road, is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday, between Sept. 23-Nov. 4. Saturday voting is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Oct. 29 and Nov. 5. Sunday voting is available from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2.
- The early in-person voting satellite locations are at Bayside Recreation Center, Great Neck Recreation Center, Seatack Recreation Center and Central Library. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Saturday, between Oct. 24 and Nov. 5.
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Just keep in mind which candidate has taken over $5 million in out of state PAC money. (Hint: it’s the one who vowed never to do so, and then she won….)