With 1 week left to go nearly 20% of ballots cast in Page Co

~ PVN staff report

LURAY, Nov. 2 — With about a week to go before the majority of ballots will be cast at Page County’s five polling locations on Election Day, about one-in-five voters have already officially made their choices.

Page County Registrar Carol Gaunt reported on Tuesday that her office had received 398 of the 572 absentee ballots mailed out to voters that requested them — a nearly 70 percent return so far on the mail-in option. Opening up to the public on Sept. 23, a total of 1,049 registered voters in the county have taken advantage of early in-person voting at the registrar’s office in the county government center. That option is still available daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Saturday, Nov. 5.

Page County has 17,083 registered voters, and with 1,447 ballots already cast — that represents between 18 to 20 percent of the projected total ballots to be cast. In a mid-term election, voter turnout locally can range from 40 to 45 percent, according to previous interviews with Gaunt, while a presidential election may draw 60 to 65 percent. This year has been hard to gauge in terms of turnout, Gaunt says, with estimates ranging “from 47 to 68 percent.”

A conservative estimate of 48 percent turnout would produce about 8,200 ballots — making the early votes about 17.6 percent of the projected electorate. About 80 percent of the ballots in Page will be cast on Election Day — Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Voters are reminded to bring their ID to the polls.

While this year’s general election focuses on the “midterms” of congressional seats across the country in the House and Senate, there are two local elections of interest.

With Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Cave and Shenandoah Mayor Clinton Lucas Jr. running unopposed, and Stanley’s Council with three candidates for three seats — the only contested races are where four candidates are vying for three open seats on the town councils of Luray and Shenandoah. (A full list of candidates is below, along with links to Q&A interviews with candidates in both races.)

A breakdown of registered voters by district, along with polling locations, in Page County:

• Total — 17,083

• District 1 — 3,363 — Springfield Elementary School, Route 340 north of Luray

• District 2 — 3,530 — Luray VFW, Route 211 just east of Luray

• District 3 — 3,774 — Stanley Fire Hall, Main Street (Rt 340 Bus)

• District 4 — 3,130 — Stanley Elementary, Aylor Grubbs Ave.

• District 5 — 3,286 — Shenandoah VFW Post 8613, 1103 Varina Ave.

Polling locations will be open Election Day – Tuesday, Nov. 8 – from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Registered voters by Town:

• Luray — 3,519

• Stanley — 1,102

• Shenandoah — 1,703

To check your voter status and polling location, visit www.elections.virginia.gov/citizen-portal/

Voters should have recently received new voter cards from the Virginia Department of Elections following redistricting in Richmond. Although it will not directly affect this November’s election, Page County is now a part of the 33rd District in the House of Delegates and the 2nd District in the Virginia Senate, with no changes in representation.

House Speaker Todd Gilbert is the only legislator living in the House of Delegates’ new 33rd District, which encompasses most of Gilbert’s former 15th District. While much of the two districts is the same, Gilbert picked up some of Tony Wilt’s former 26th District in Rockingham County and lost portions of Warren County that he represented. The Woodstock attorney still represents Page County, as it moved from the 15th to the 33rd District in the House of Delegates.

https://www.vpap.org/offices/house-of-delegates-33/redistricting/

In the Virginia Senate, Page County shifted from the 26th District to the 2nd District, which is still represented by Mark Obenshain. The Harrisonburg attorney picked up Bath and Highland County from Creigh Deeds’ former district (which was completely broken up), as well as a portion of Augusta County from Emmett Hanger’s former 24th District. However, Obenshain lost Shenandoah, Warren and Rappahannock counties.

https://www.vpap.org/offices/state-senate-2/redistricting/

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For more information about voting procedures, deadlines or volunteering as a poll worker, contact the Voter Registrar’s office at (540) 743-3986 or email cgaunt@pagecounty.virginia.gov

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On Page County Ballot for Nov. 8, 2022 General Election

U.S. House of Representatives – 6th District

Benjamin Lee Cline (R) — incumbent
Jennifer Lewis (D)
Danny LeBeau (I)

Commonwealth’s Attorney

Acting Commonwealth Attorney Bryan Cave is running unopposed as the Republican nominee.

Luray Council

Jeremy Hilliard
Stephanie Lillard — incumbent
Ron Vickers — incumbent
Alex White

Three open seats will go to top three receiving votes, and voters may vote for up to three candidates.

Shenandoah Council

Denise Meadows-Cave
Lynn Fox — incumbent
Brenda Haggett
William Kite — incumbent

Clinton Lucas Jr. is running unopposed for another two-year term as mayor. Three open council seats will go to top three receiving votes, and voters may vote for up to three candidates.

Stanley Council