Staunton: Absentee ballot deadlines approaching

The Virginia Department of Elections has announced two upcoming deadlines for voters wishing to participate in the Nov. 6 General Election via an absentee ballot.

• 5 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 30: Voters wishing to mail their absentee ballot have until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 30 to request a ballot through their local voter registration office or the Virginia Department of Elections Citizen Portal at vote.virginia.gov. Staunton’s registrar must receive all applications by the deadline in order to mail absentee ballots to eligible recipients in time for the election. All absentee ballots sent by mail must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 6, to be counted.

• 5 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 3: Absentee voters have until Nov. 3 to appear in person at the Staunton voter registration office to vote in-person absentee. The office is located in City Hall, 116 W. Beverley, St., first floor.

In-Person Absentee Voting Hours

Staunton’s voter registration office will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 27 and Saturday, Nov. 3 for individuals wishing to cast their absentee ballots in person. Voters also may visit their local voter registration office during regular business hours through the Nov. 3 deadline to vote absentee in person.

Absentee Ballot Application

Absentee ballot application forms can be found online at elections.virginia.gov/absentee. These application forms may be submitted online, by e-mail, by fax or by mail.

Voters who are requesting absentee ballots sent by mail should apply well ahead of the Oct. 30 deadline, as the U.S. Postal Service advises that First Class delivery takes two to five days. Waiting until the deadline may not provide sufficient time for voters to receive their ballots and send them back on time.

Applications for absentee ballots by mail received after the 5 p.m., Oct. 30 deadline cannot be accepted.

Do I Qualify to Vote Absentee?

To view absentee voting qualifications, visit elections.virginia.gov/absentee.

Photo Identification

Voters who wish to cast an absentee ballot in person must present acceptable photo identification. Voters who do not have an acceptable form of ID still may cast their ballot after completing the Virginia Voter Photo Identification Card Application and receiving a Temporary Identification Document from the Staunton registrar.

More information on acceptable IDs is available online at www.elections.virginia.gov/voterid.

For more information about the Nov. 6 General Election, visit the City of Staunton voter registration information page.