What to know before heading to the polls
New maps for congressional, state and local legislative districts. Absentee ballots. Early voting. Updated voter registration rules. New voter ID cards.
With the Nov. 8 election a little more than six weeks away, the Rappahannock County Registrar of Voters has its hands full getting ready.
As a result of a redistricting plan approved last December by the Virginia Supreme Court, all Rappahannock County voters are now assigned to a newly drawn 10th Congressional District, as well as new 28th Virginia State Senate and 61st House of Delegates districts. Pursuant to action taken in February of this year by the Board of Supervisors (BOS), two Magisterial District boundaries have been redrawn to move 54 voters from the Wakefield district to the Jackson District.
In the 10th Congressional District race, incumbent Democrat Rep. Jennifer Wexton is defending her seat against Republican challenger Hung Cao, a Navy veteran.
In local contests, voters in the Town of Washington will choose a new mayor, treasurer and all five council members.
Elections to be held in November 2023 will give voters a chance to fill seats for the Virginia State Senate and House of Delegates; three seats on the county Board of Supervisors and school board (all for the Hampton, Jackson and Wakefield districts); the county’s five constitutional officers; and soil and water district commission seats.
New districts
“Redistricting has been an enormous challenge for us,” said Kimberly McKiernan, Rappahannock County’s director of elections and general registrar. “Since we do not have access to a comprehensive Geographic Information Systems (GIS), we have had to spend countless hours poring over written descriptions of property boundaries, looking at maps to determine correct voter assignments, and verifying that lines comport with the new legislative districts approved by the Virginia Supreme Court and the BOS change to the two county magisterial districts.”
Kimberly McKiernan – VREO-5-story.jpg
Rappahannock County Registrar Kim McKiernan, Oct. 2020.
After changes to Rappahannock’s voting boundaries were submitted to the Virginia Department of Elections last June, the state agency noted discrepancies in some street addresses.
In an email to McKiernan, a state election official wrote: “A Voter Placement Audit (VPA) was recently completed on your locality street file and identified 134 potentially misplaced voters. These voters may have been located in an incorrect district or precinct during the redistricting process.” According to McKiernan, all localities in the state received a similar notice of a voter audit.
“We had to review all those addresses,” said McKiernan. “Sometimes the error was as simple as the wrong zip code. Others were more complicated to resolve, especially where property lines straddled county boundaries.
“Previously we relied on old maps and state data. We had no reason to question the voter addresses until it was brought to our attention. But, working with County Administrator Garrey Curry, Janie Jenkins in the Sheriff’s Office, and the consultant who is developing location data for the new 911 system, we were able to complete the state’s multi-page audit report.”
“The corrections identified in the [voter audit] have been submitted to the state and I’m pleased to report that any errors have been resolved and voters have been assigned to their correct districts and precincts,” she said.
The state elections office sent out notices this week to all voters identifying the district and precinct where they live. McKiernan also plans to send out new voter identification cards to all of the county’s 6,000-plus voters.
With a population of about 7,300 people, Rappahannock, according to the Virginia voter database, has 6,174 registered voters. That leaves only about 1,100 residents as unregistered due to age or other reasons. According to McKiernan, the number of registered voters fluctuates due to people moving in and out of the county, deaths and felony convictions.
“Registered voters should be on the lookout for these mailings which are identified as ‘official election mail’ as they will contain important information about their districts, precincts, and polling place,” she said.
Early voting
In-person voting begins Sept. 23. Those wishing to cast their ballots prior to Nov. 8 may do so at the county election office in the Town of Washington at 262A Gay St. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Those wishing to vote early but who are physically unable to do so may “drive by” the Gay Street election office and vote from their vehicle. Prior arrangements with the registrar must be made.
Absentee ballots were mailed last week to those who requested in advance. Oct. 28 is the deadline to request an absentee ballot in writing through the mail. Completed absentee ballots must have the signature of a witness on the enclosed envelope “B” which contains the voter’s ballot.
For those choosing not to mail in their completed absentee ballot, a secure and monitored “drop box” will be located at the election office. Only voters themselves are permitted to deliver their ballot. Delivering ballots for anyone else – including spouses, relatives or friends – is a violation of election laws.
Voter registration
Those eligible to vote have until Oct. 17 to register or update their registration online or in person. Voters may register at the election office, or online at https://www.elections.virginia.gov/registration/how-to-register/
A law enacted in 2020 and taking effect this year allows individuals who miss the Oct. 17 registration date to register and vote up to and on Election Day. The person must be eligible to vote and appear with proper identification at the election office or his or her correct polling place. Their ballot will be categorized as “provisional” and not recorded until their identity is verified and checked against the state voter database.
In addition to regular weekday hours, the election office will be open for in-person voting and late registration on Oct. 29 and Nov. 5, the last two Saturdays before election day.
Election workers
Although many election workers around the nation are quitting their jobs due to harassment or allegations of voter fraud, that’s not the case in Rappahannock County. The county’s complement of 40 poll workers is expected to return to administer the Nov. 8 election, with an additional 10 new staff joining the ranks, bringing the total to 50.
“We don’t have those kinds of problems here,” said McKiernan. “Our workers are loyal, well trained, certified and dedicated to make sure every vote is accurately and legally counted.”
In addition to those 50 election workers, the Democratic and Republican parties may have observers at polling stations and the election office.
Election 2022 — Key Dates for Voters to Know
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Sept. 19 – Absentee ballots mailed to those who requested them.
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Sept. 23 – First day of “in-person” voting.
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Oct. 17 – Deadline to register to vote or update voter registration*
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Oct. 28 – Deadline to submit a valid application for an absentee ballot.
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Oct. 29 – Election office open for in-person voting and late voter registration.
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Nov. 5 – Election office open for in-person voting and late voter registration.
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Nov. 8 – Election Day
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Nov. 14 – Last day absentee ballot postmarked on or before Election Day and provisional ballots may be counted.
For additional information on voter eligibility, voter registration, valid forms of identification, or other election questions contact:
Ms. Kimberley McKiernan
Director of Elections and General Registrar, Rappahannock County
262A Gay St., Washington, VA 22747
Phone: 540-675-5383, or
Virginia Department of Elections, website: elections.virginia.gov, phone: (804) 864-8901.
*If a person misses the Oct. 17 deadline, an eligible person may register to vote and cast a ballot up to and on Election Day if they appear in person at the election office or proper polling place with valid identification. Their ballot will be considered “provisional” and not recorded until their identification is verified and checked against the state voter database.
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