Early voting continues in Botetourt County through April 18. Voters may cast ballots at the registrar’s office during regular business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office is located at 2 East Main Street in Fincastle.
The special election will ask Virginia voters to decide on a proposed constitutional amendment related to congressional redistricting. The ballot question asks whether the state constitution should be amended to allow the General Assembly to temporarily adopt new congressional districts to restore fairness in upcoming elections, while ensuring the state’s standard redistricting process resumes after the 2030 census.
Voters will mark “Yes” or “No” on the ballot to indicate their choice.
Should the referendum pass, Botetourt County voters will be in the 6th and 9th Congressional Districts. The Rainbow Forest precinct and a portion of the Blue Ridge precinct will be in the 6th Congressional District, with all other precincts in the 9th Congressional District.
According to a county official, precinct boundaries may need to be adjusted to correct the split precinct. The Registrar’s Office would have until April 2027 to adjust precinct boundaries. The official noted that “legislation says precincts are not to be split, but if a feasible solution cannot be found, a waiver can be requested from the state.”
Several key deadlines are approaching ahead of the April election.
The deadline to request a mailed absentee ballot is 5 p.m. on Friday, April 10. Requests must be received by the registrar’s office by that time or submitted online by 4:59 p.m.
The deadline to register to vote or update an existing voter registration is Tuesday, April 14, by 5 p.m. for in-person submissions. Online voter registration will remain available until 11:59 p.m. that day.
The Registrar’s Office will also open for two Saturdays to provide additional in-person absentee voting opportunities. The first Saturday opening will be April 11 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The final day to vote early in person will be Saturday, April 18, when the office will be open from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Election Day is Tuesday, April 21. Polls across Botetourt County will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Residents can register to vote, update their voter registration information, or apply for a vote-by-mail ballot through the Virginia Department of Elections website or by contacting the Botetourt Registrar’s Office at 540-928-2120.
~ Fincastle Herald staff report
