Early voting under way
Early voting for the Nov. 6 election is already under way at the Office of Elections at the Fairfax County Government Center.
To vote, you must be registered at your current address by Oct. 17. You can check your voter registration status on the Virginia Board of Elections website.
If you are not registered or need to update your registration, you can do it at the Taste of Annandale on Oct. 1. Representatives with the New Virginia Majority, a non-partisan, non-profit organization will have state-certified representatives on site to register voters.
- you plan to be out of the area for any period of time on Nov. 8 for work-related or personal reasons (select code 1C or 1D on the form)
- you or your spouse are going to school or college outside Fairfax County (1A or 1B)
- you are working and commuting for 11 hours or more between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Nov. 8 even if you work in Fairfax County (1E)
- you are disabled or ill or are taking care of a family member who is disabled or ill (2A, 2B, or 2C)
- you are a first responder (1F)
- you or your spouse will be on active military duty outside Fairfax County on Nov. 8 (6A or 6B)
- you will be temporarily residing outside of the U.S. on Nov. 8 (6C or 6D).
Early voting started Sept. 23 at the Fairfax County Government Center, Office of Elections, Conference Room 2/3, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax.
From Sept. 23 through Oct. 14, the hours are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday; and 8 a.m.-7 p.m. on Thursdays. The office is closed on Columbus Day, Oct. 10.
From Oct. 17 through Nov. 4, the office is open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday.
The office is open for early voting on Saturdays 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, and Nov. 5.
Voters must bring a photo ID. To see a list of valid IDs, click here.
Voting at nine satellite locations throughout the county, including the Mason Government Center at 6507 Columbia Pike, begins Oct. 17.
The satellite locations are open Monday-Friday, Oct. 17-Nov. 4, 2-8 p.m., and Saturdays, Oct. 1-Nov. 5, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
In addition to president, voters will select a member of Congress. The ballot will also include a referendum on a Fairfax County meals tax, two questions on amendments to the Virginia Constitution, and three Fairfax County bonds, on transportation, parks, and human services/community development.
2 responses to “Early voting under way”
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Fairfax voter rarely have any influence over the amount of taxes they pay. That been a function of interest groups and political insiders. So, over the past few years, the BOS has passed an unprecedented series of unequalized property taxes. Now the BOS has made a thinly veiled attempt to pass the buck by approving a meals tax referendum. This is a particularly cynical way of gouging taxpayers because, if passed, the tax doesn't have to annually be debated as is the case with property taxes. The BOS can simply attribute a supposed $100 MM tax hike to the will of the electorate. Moreover, the BOS hasn't made any guarantees about limiting future property tax increases. If 70% of this tax is automatically to be handed to the school board, there won't be enough left to fund other county services much less provide meaningful tax relief. Even worse, since the school board has never recognized any spending limits, it's inevitable that its members will merely see this tax as a reason to ratchet up their funding demands. So, it's imperative that voters view this meals tax referendum for what it truly represents: A rare opportunity to directly tell the BOS that Fairfax taxpayer have had enough of incessant demands for more taxes.
Thanks again for all the really concise, accurate information, Ellie. These voting posts are a tremendous service to the community.
I would urge everyone who is going to vote this November to please spend some time reading the sample ballot. Know what's on it, and how you want to vote before you get in that line.
And check your registration (especially if you did it through DMV), even if you vote in every election. Everything is online, you can check it yourself and correct any errors or discrepancies NOW, before the deadline to make any changes passes in Oct.