Early in-person voting ends this Saturday, Oct. 31

Election 2020 Coverage — Page Valley News has complete coverage of the local elections.

~ PVN staff report

LURAY, Oct. 27 — As of Monday, Oct. 26, the Page County Registrar’s Office had received 2,384 ballots cast through early walk-in voting, with another 1,165 absentee ballots mailed in and recorded as “marked.” The combined total of 3,549 ballots represents nearly one-third of the anticipated 11,000 ballots expected in Page County for the Nov. 3 general election.

Another 457 absentee ballots mailed out have yet to be returned. All ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 will be counted. The deadline to request an absentee ballot passed on Friday, Oct. 23.

Voters who have not returned their mail-in absentee ballots should do so as soon as possible. Absentee ballots may be returned via mail, dropped off at the voter’s general registrar’s office or at the appropriate polling place on Election Day.

With Election Day only a week away, the last day for voters to cast early in-person ballots for the Nov. 3 general election is Saturday, Oct. 31.

“You do not make an appointment to vote early,” Page County Registrar Carol Gaunt said.

Voters do not have to fill out an application to vote in person. Voters can go to their general registrar’s office or satellite voting location, show ID and cast a ballot. More information about what IDs are considered acceptable can be found at www.elections.virginia.gov/voterID.

Walk-in voting in Room 205 of the Page County Government Center on South Court Street in Luray is available to all registered voters through 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31. The county registrar’s normal office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Those choosing to vote early at the government center may call for curbside service, if needed.

“If you come to the back of the county building, we have curbside available to those unable or at risk,” Gaunt said. “Call us at (540) 743-3986 and someone will come out to help.”

For those who choose to vote in-person at the polls on Election Day, the registrar reminds all voters to bring their identification (photo ID not required this year — so a voter registration card would suffice) and follow all COVID-19 protocols in place to protect other voters, as well as poll workers.

“Please wear your face covering. We can’t require it, but our officer of elections will appreciate it,” Gaunt said, “and take advantage of the hand sanitizer at the polls.”

Poll workers will be busy sanitizing each booth after each ballot is cast.

“For the voters’ protection, as well as our officers, we are sanitizing [voting] booths after the voter leaves,” she continued. “We will give the voter a pen to mark the ballot, and they should keep it. We are not re-using them.”

The county registrar says that there are accommodations for disabled voters, or those who may feel ill on Election Day.

“If you are unwell, you may want to ask the [election] officer at the door to have a ballot brought curbside for you,” she said.

All five polling locations in the county — one for each magisterial district — will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

More local registrar information is available on the Virginia Department of Elections website at www.elections.virginia.gov/localGR.

Voters with questions about in-person voting or any other aspect of the Nov. 3 election may call the Virginia Department of Elections at (800) 552-9745, email the department at info@elections.virginia.gov, or visit our website at www.elections.virginia.gov.

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