Early voting begins Friday in Virginia, absentee ballots mailed Monday

Charles Owens, Bluefield Daily Telegraph, W.Va.
Updated ·4 min read

Sep. 19—TAZEWELL, Va. — The first round of absentee ballots by mail in Tazewell County are going out this week, with early voting beginning on Friday for Virginia's high-stakes Nov. 7 election.

Control of the Virginia General Assembly is back up for grabs on Nov. 7, along with a number of local races on the county level.

In Tazewell County, the first 667 requested absentee ballots by mail went out on Monday, according to county registrar Brian Earls.

"If you have already requested one it should be coming to you probably Wednesday or Thursday," Earls said of the absentee ballots by mail.

Those who wish to vote by mail have until Oct. 27 to request an absentee ballot.

More popular than voting by mail is early, in-person voting, which begins on Friday.

In Tazewell County, early voting is held at the voter registration office, which is located at 2849 Riverside Drive, North Tazewell.

No excuse, early-in person-voting will then continue daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 28 and Saturday, Nov. 3.

Earls said early voting is growing in popularity.

"It has been very popular," he said. "Over half of the people in 2020 voted early or in mail. But that was a presidential year."

While the presidential race won't be decided until 2024, control of the Virginia General Assembly is back up for grabs on Nov. 7. Local voters will have a say in the outcome of the General Assembly race this year as two area lawmakers serving the Southwest Virginia region both have challengers on Nov. 7.

Senator Travis Hackworth, R-Tazewell, is being challenged by Democrat Robert W. Beckman of Blacksburg.

Hackworth now represents the new Virginia Senate 5th District, which is composed of Tazewell, Bland, Giles, Wythe, Smyth, Pulaski, the city of Radford, and parts of Montgomery County, including Virginia Tech and some of the Blacksburg area.

Due to last year's redistricting process, Buchanan County is no longer a part of Hackworth's legislative district. Instead, Buchanan County is now a part of the 6th Senatorial District, and is represented by incumbent Senator Todd Pillion, R-Abingdon, who is running unopposed for re-election.

Incumbent Delegate James W. "Will" Morefield, R-Tazewell, is being challenged by independent candidate David M. "Tiger Dave" Ratliff.

Moorefield now represents the new 43rd District in the Virginia House, which includes Tazewell, Buchanan and Bland counties, and parts of Russell and Dickenson counties.

Democrats currently control the Virginia Senate and Republicans control the Virginia House.

On the local county level, voters in Tazewell County have a full ballot to decide on Nov. 7.

In the Tazewell County Board of Supervisors race, two incumbent Democrats — Charles Stacy and Maggie Asbury — are facing Republican challengers.

Stacy is the incumbent Eastern District supervisor where he is being challenged by Republican Charles E. "Chuck" Presley, who is also a current member of the Bluefield, Va., Town Council.

In the Northern District race, Asbury is being challenged by Republican Kyle Aaron Cruey.

In the Northwestern District race, incumbent Republican Shanna C. Plaster is running unopposed for re-election.

In the Circuit Court Clerk's race, two candidates — Republican Charity McDaniel Hurst and independent Susie O. Vance — are vying for the position.

Vance was appointed circuit clerk in February following the retirement of Tammy Allison.

Four constitutional officers, all Republicans, are running unopposed for re-election in Tazewell County. They include Sheriff Brian Hieatt, Commonwealth Attorney J. Chris Plaster, Commissioner of Revenue David R. Anderson and Treasurer David T. Larimer, II.

Three incumbents also are running unopposed for re-election in the non-partisan school board race in Tazewell County. They are Erik D. Robinson, Eastern District; David R. Woodard, Northern District; and Donna Lawson Whittington, Northwestern District.

In Buchanan County; 12 candidates are vying Nov. 7 for seats on the Buchanan County Board of Supervisors. They include: Rocklick District; incumbent Republican Craig Stiltner and Democrat Danny Sawyers; North Grundy District, Republican K. Lee Dotson, Jr. and Democrat Rages Matney; South Grundy District; incumbent Republican G. Roger Rife; Prater District, Republican David Rose; Garden District, incumbent Republican Jeffery Cooper and Democrat Hilary Deskins; Hurricane District, Republican incumbent Tim Hess and Democrat Harold Johnson; and Knox District, Republican incumbent Trey Adkins and independent Jerry Scarberry.

Also in Buchanan County, incumbent Republican Sheriff John McClanahan is being challenged Nov. 7 by Democrat Allen Boyd. Incumbent Republican Commonwealth Attorney M. Nikki Stiltner is running unopposed for re-election.

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com. Follow him @BDTOwens