General Registrar of Voters
What to Expect on Election Day
General Elections are held the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November. Polling Places open at 6:00 am and close at 7:00 pm. There are 6 Magisterial Districts with 21 Precincts and 20 Polling Places in Frederick County.
Lines are inevitable. There has been an increase of almost 7,000 voters in Frederick County over the past three years.
Local Electoral Boards and General Registrars have taken and are taking actions to minimize the causes of long lines that are under their control - increasing and improving training of Officers of Election, using new electronic poll books to create quicker voter check-in and placing more voting machines in each precinct than is required by the Code of Virginia. While these actions will go a long way toward alleviating some of the problems, they all come at an increased cost and are only a minor fraction of what can be accomplished if everyone gets involved, including YOU.
Check your Voter Registration ID Card to determine your polling place location. Don't have a card? Call your General Registrar! Assisting lost voters is time-consuming, slows down the check-in process and creates increased personnel demands on local offices.
Learn about the candidates and issues before Election Day. Asking for this information at the polls creates backups in the lines, and may even create thorny legal issues for the volunteer Officers of Election. This is because Officers of Election are forbidden by law to provide any information that may influence your vote. An Officer of Election may not even provide something as simple as how to spell a candidate's name. It is the voter's responsibility to become informed before going to the polls.
Bring an appropriate ID and have it ready to show to the Officer of Election at the poll book when asked. Digging into your pocket for a wallet or rooting around in a deep purse to try to find your ID slows down the check-in process and makes those behind you have to wait even longer.
Virginia Election Laws require that each voter voting in person to show identification or sign a statement according to Virgnia Code § 24.2-643, subject to felony penalties for false statements pursuant to the Virginia Code § 24.2-1016, that the person is the named registered voter. Additional requirements apply to Federal Elections so make sure you are prepared to show your current and valid identification.
Virginia Laws also require that you state, out loud, your full legal name and current residence address. Don't hesitate when asked. You are only delaying the inevitable and making others wait.
YOU can greatly enhance the voting experience for yourself and everyone else. YOU can speed up the processing. YOU can shorten lines. YOU can gain great personal satisfaction from exercising your right to vote. Or, you can complain about the long line you have to endure to cast your vote. It's your choice. It's your vote.
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