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City Registrar’s Office OpensInTemporarySite
The Lexington registrar’s office opened for business Monday in its temporary location in the Lexington City Schools administration building at 300 Diamond St.
The relocation is expected to be for less than two years and is necessary because of plans to renovate Lexington City Hall building starting in March.
The registrar’s office is responsible for all aspects of voter registration and elections administration for the city of Lexington. The office has two full-time employees and is overseen by the bipartisan Board of Elections.
In December, Lexington City Council notified the Virginia attorney general of the city’s intention to move the registrar’s office. Because in-person, early voting is conducted at the office, preapproval by the commonwealth of Virginia is required. The Virginia attorney general approved the relocation on Jan. 30.
Registrar Francena Jones noted that every registered voter in Lexington will receive a written notice in the mail in the coming days notifying voters of the relocation.
“All 4,273 registered voters in Lexington can expect to receive a letter from us noting this relocation,” she said, “and when we move back to City Hall once the renovation is completed, we will notify all registered voters of that move back, too.”
Jones noted that while the location for early voting in elections over the next couple of years will be at 300 Diamond, Election Day voting will not be impacted. Voters will still vote on Election Day at 350 Spotswood Drive, commonly referred to as the Piovano Building, even during the remodel of City Hall.
The registrar’s office is the first city office to relocate to accommodate the City Hall remodel project. The offices of the commissioner of revenue and treasurer will also relocate on or around March 10 to 626 Waddell St. All other offices in City Hall will relocate to the second floor of 539 East Nelson St. at the corner of Nelson and Walker streets in March.
Lexington’s city hall was built as an elementary school in 1892 and served as the Ruffner School until 1961, when it became Lexington Town Hall. Lexington became an independent city in 1966, and 300 East Washington St. has housed town or city offices for the last 64 years. The city’s planned renovation of the 133-year old building will enable it to serve as the seat of government for Lexington for the next century, according to city officials.
For further information about this temporary office relocation or the City Hall renovation project, call City Manager Tom Carroll at (540) 460-7667.
