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Early Voting Slow So Far, Say Registrars
State political party primaries are being held in Virginia this Tuesday, March 5, that will help determine the nominees for this year’s presidential election. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Early, in-person voting has been underway since Jan. 19, and will continue at local registrars’ offices through this Saturday, March 2, at 5 p.m. The deadline for requesting mail-in absentee ballots has passed. Mail-in absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day will be accepted through Friday, March 8, at noon.
Early voting in the Rockbridge area has been fairly slow, according to the local registrars. County registrar Sheila Hall said last Thursday that 300 early in-person ballots had been cast. Buena Vista registrar Emilie Staton said Tuesday that 39 inperson ballots had been cast. Lexington registrar Francena Jones said Tuesday that 140 in-person ballots had been cast in her office.
Virginia voters aren’t registered by political party so voters can cast ballots in either of the primaries but not both. The names of six candidates are on the Republican Party primary ballot, though only two are still actively seeking the party’s nomination. The Democratic Party’s primary ballot has the names of three candidates, two of whom are still in the race.
Names of the candidates on the Republican primary are former President Donald Trump, former South Carolina Gov. and U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and businessmen Ryan Binkley and Vivek Ramaswamy. Only Trump and Haley are still seeking the GOP nomination.
Names of the candidates on the Democratic primary ballot are President Joe Biden, Minnesota Congressman Dean Phillips and author Marianne Williamson. Williamson has dropped out of the race.
