Editorial
Who knows what will happen on Election Day? Voters can avoid the uncertainty of possible traffic gridlock, bad weather or other impediments by voting “absentee-in person.” If you work, you qualify to vote absentee because of the possibility you could be commuting and working for 11 hours on Election Day. There are many other reasons voters qualify to vote early in Virginia.
Voters can vote absentee-in person at Fairfax County Government Center, Conference Room 2/3, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, now through Friday Nov. 4, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 5, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Nov. 5 is the last day to absentee vote in-person.
Absentee voting is also available at 10 satellite locations, now through Friday, Nov. 4, 2-8 p.m. and Saturday Nov. 5, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Satellite voting locations:
Providence Community Center - 3001 Vaden Dr., Fairfax
Franconia Governmental Center - 6121 Franconia Rd., Alexandria
McLean Governmental Center - 1437 Balls Hill Rd., Community Room, McLean
North County Governmental Center, 1801 Cameron Glen Dr., Community Rooms, Reston
West Springfield Governmental Center - 6140 Rolling Road, Springfield
Mason Governmental Center - 6507 Columbia Pike, Annandale
Mount Vernon Governmental Center - 2511 Parkers Lane, Alexandria
Sully Governmental Center - 4900 Stonecroft Blvd., Chantilly
Lorton Library - 9520 Richmond Hwy., Lorton, Saturdays only.
VOTING ON THE QUESTIONS:
Here are our recommendations:
Vote YES for the MEALS TAX. Fairfax County needs to find alternatives to the real estate tax, and in Virginia, there are not many options allowed to localities. This is one of the few alternatives available, and it requires a referendum.
Vote YES for the three Fairfax County Bond Questions: Vote YES for Transportation; vote YES for Parks; Vote Yes for Human Services.
Vote NO on on Question One. This anti-union language is already Virginia law; it doesn’t belong in the Virginia Constitution.
For Voters Who Arrive Without Identification
If you arrive at your polling place on Election Day without an acceptable form of photo identification, or you face any other challenge to voting at your polling place, don’t panic or give up. You will be given the opportunity to vote a provisional ballot. Ask for a provisional ballot if one is not immediately offered. You will then have until Monday, Nov. 14 to resolve the issue and demonstrate your right to vote.
After completing the provisional ballot, you will be given written instructions from the election officials on how to submit a copy of your identification so that your vote can be counted.
A voter will have until noon on Monday, Nov. 14, following the election to deliver a copy of identification to the local electoral board or to appear in person to apply for a Virginia Voter Photo ID Card. Voters may submit a copy of their ID via fax, email, in-person submission, or through USPS or commercial delivery service. Please note that the copy of the ID must be delivered to the electoral board by noon on Monday, or the provisional ballot cannot be counted.
Also by noon on Monday following the election, the voter may appear in-person in the office of the general registrar, in the locality in which the provisional ballot was cast, and apply for a Virginia Voter Photo ID Card. At the completion of the application process, the voter may request a temporary identification document. This document may be provided to the electoral board to suffice the identification requirement.
CORRECTION
Voters who do not present photo ID and vote by provisional ballot have until noon on Monday, Nov. 14 after the election to present their identification. Previous coverage reported that the cutoff was Friday.
— Mary Kimm
kimm.mary@gmail.com