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Early voting for the June primaries started this past Friday, May 2 both here in Lunenburg County and around the Commonwealth. However, it’s a much smaller set of races than originally expected, as Republicans have already chosen their candidates in the statewide races for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general. 

Democrats, meanwhile, will hold primaries in the lieutenant governor and attorney general races. In some other parts of the Commonwealth, there are also primaries for seats in the House of Delegates, but that’s not the case here. There will be no Democratic primary for governor, as only one candidate, Abigail Spanberger, qualified. On the Republican side, current lieutenant governor Winsome Earle-Sears is the nominee for governor, with John Reid as the candidate for lieutenant governor and current attorney general Jason Miyares is running for re-election.

Importantly, as Lunenburg General Registrar Alissa Baldwin explains, Virginia does not require voters to register by political party, so any registered voter in Lunenburg County is eligible to vote in the Democratic primary. 

Who’s on the ballot?

With that being said, early voting for the June 17 primary elections will run through Saturday, June 14. But early voting can be confusing. Over the last few days, The Dispatch has been asked where people go to vote and what to bring if you want to vote early. Residents also want to know who’s on the ballot. 

Let’s answer the easy one first. Who is on the ballot? The Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor include attorney Alex Bastani, 15th District State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, Prince William County School Board Chair Babur Lateef, 22nd District State Sen. Aaron Rouse, federal prosecutor Victor Salgado and former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney. The winner of that race will take on John Reid in the November election. 

In the race to be the Democratic nominee for attorney general, there’s former Norfolk attorney and former House of Delegates member Jay Jones and current lawyer Shannon Taylor. The winner of that race will go on to face Miyares in the November general election. As mentioned, Miyares had no challengers for the Republican nomination, so he automatically advances to run for re-election. 

So now you know which candidates are running. As for how you vote? Here’s how that works. 

Where can I vote in Lunenburg County? 

In Virginia, the primary elections, as we mentioned before, are set for Tuesday, June 17. As a result, early voting started on Friday, May 2. Why? That’s because early voting starts 45 days prior to the primary. 

To be clear, however, that doesn’t mean you head to the same precinct as you do in November. 

Early voting is limited to one location, the registrar’s office in each county. Here in Lunenburg, that means going to 160 Courthouse Square in Lunenburg. Voters can cast their ballots Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays on June 7 and June 14, also from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

And for voters with assistance needs and/or disabilities, Baldwin said accessible machines and curbside voting are available. If someone needs help voting, a family member may assist them after filling out a short form that will be provided. 

What should I bring in Lunenburg County? 

To vote early, you will need to do a few things. First, you’ll need to provide your name and address. Second, you have to show an ID. Acceptable IDs include a driver’s license, DMV-issued ID card, employee ID card with a photo, US Military ID or government-issued ID card. You can also use a recent utility bill, bank statement, government check, or paycheck containing your name and address.

If you haven’t registered to vote yet, there’s still time. The deadline to register and vote in this June primary is Tuesday, May 27.

That May 27 deadline also goes for people who just moved. Regardless of where you moved from, be it out of state or just the county next door, you must get your registration updated by May 27. You can do that at your local registrar’s office, at the address we reference above.

What about absentee ballots? 

If you can’t make it over to vote early in person, there’s also an absentee option. You can request an absentee ballot from your local registrar, then fill it out and return it via mail or in-person drop-off. You just have to apply for one by Thursday, June 5 and return it by Primary Day on Tuesday, June 17. 

A witness signature is required on all mail-in ballots cast in this year’s election. If a ballot is missing that signature or any other required information, the voter will be contacted by their local elections office and asked to correct it.