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Across the city of Franklin, Southampton County and southern Isle of Wight County, mayors, city and town council members, one school board member and two congressional representatives will be chosen by voters this fall.

HOW TO BE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE

The Isle of Wight County website states that to register to vote in Virginia, one must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of Virginia, 18 years old by the next general election, and they must have had their rights restored if they have ever been convicted of a felony or declared mentally incapacitated. 

A voter application must be fully completed to be eligible to vote in Virginia, the website further notes. One may request a voter registration application or an absentee application from their locality’s general registrar office in person, by mail or online at vote.elections.virginia.gov/Registration/Eligibility.

Monday, Oct. 17, is the deadline to register to vote. For those registering in person or by mail, the specific deadline that day is 5 p.m., and for those registering online, the specific deadline that day is 11:59 p.m.

In addition to being registered, those voting in person will be asked to show one form of approved identification, and it does not necessarily have to include a photo. It could even be a voter notice, current utility bill, bank statement, government check or paycheck containing the name and address of the voter.

The Virginia Department of Elections states that voters arriving at the polls without an acceptable form of ID will be required to either sign an ID Confirmation Statement or vote a provisional ballot. If a voter votes a provisional ballot, they will have until noon on the Friday following the election to deliver a copy of identification to their locality’s electoral board or sign an ID Confirmation Statement in order for their provisional ballot to be counted.

WAYS TO VOTE IN THE 2022 ELECTION

There are three primary ways to vote in the election.

“You can either vote by mail, you can come in and vote early, or you can vote at your precinct on Election Day,” Isle of Wight County General Registrar-Director of Elections Lisa Betterton said.

To vote absentee by mail, voters must complete an application. They can submit it online at the Virginia Department of Elections website — www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/absentee-voting/ — or by mail after requesting an application be mailed or emailed to them by calling the Southampton County Registrar’s Office at 757-653-9280 or the Franklin voter registrar at 757-562-8545 or the Isle of Wight County general registrar at 757-365-6230.

Friday, Oct. 28, is the last day to apply for an absentee ballot to be mailed, and the specific deadline on that day is 5 p.m.

In-person early voting began Friday, Sept. 23, and those who would like to vote early can do so at their locality’s registrar’s office from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekdays, as well as Saturday, Oct. 29, and Saturday, Nov. 5. The last day to vote early in person is Nov. 5.

The Southampton County Registrar’s Office is located at 22305 Main St. in Courtland, the Franklin voter registrar is located at 100 S. Main St. in Franklin, and the Isle of Wight County General Registrar Office is located at 17106 Monument Circle in Isle of Wight.

Election Day is Nov. 8, and the polls will be open from 6 a.m.-7 p.m. 

WHERE TO VOTE IN PERSON ON ELECTION DAY

Voting will take place at the 13 regular polling places in Southampton County. There will be six polling places in the city of Franklin, and Ward 4 voters will now be voting in Ward 4 at the Franklin Business Center, which is located at 601 N. Mechanic St.

Windsor voters will cast their ballots at the Windsor Town Center, which is located at 23361 Courthouse Highway.

For Isle of Wight residents who were in the Carrsville Precinct or Camps Mill Precinct, those two precincts have been combined into the Beaver Dam Precinct, which is located at the Sgt. USMC Jayton D. Patterson VFW Post 4411, found at 3385 Beaver Dam Road in Franklin.

In Walters, the place to vote will still be the Walters Ruritan Building at 27746 Walters Highway in Carrsville.

ON THE BALLOT IN FRANKLIN

On the ballot this year in Franklin, voters will have the options of Democrat Elaine G. Luria, Republican Jen A. Kiggans or a write-in candidate for the Virginia 2nd Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

The options for Franklin mayor are Linwood W. Johnson III, Robert L. “Bobby” Cutchins II or a write-in candidate.

For the Ward 5 seat on the Franklin City Council, the choices are incumbent Wynndolyn H. Copeland, Ricky L. Sykes or a write-in candidate.

For the Ward 3 seat, voters can decide between incumbent Gregory McLemore or a write-in candidate, and in Ward 6, voters can choose between Jessica Grant Banks or a write-in.

ON THE BALLOT IN SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY

On the ballot this year in Southampton County, voters will either have the choices of Luria, Kiggans or a write-in for the 2nd Congressional District, or they will decide between Democrat A. Donald McEachin, Republican Leon Benjamin Sr. or a write-in for the 4th Congressional District.

All Southampton County voters will have the opportunity to vote either “Yes” or “No” in response to the following question: Shall the method of selecting the school board be changed from appointment by the school board selection commission to direct election by the voters?

There is only one town mayoral election in Southampton with more than one candidate on the ballot. The town of Boykins will choose between incumbent Jackie M. Robertson Sr., Nickolas Brian Zinn or a write-in candidate for mayor.

Boykins voters will also be able to vote for not more than five town council members, including F. W. “Freddy” Felts, Linda Edwards Beatty, Justin Kane Merchant, Dee Modlin Clary, Robert C. Poland or write-in options.

In the town of Ivor, voters can opt between incumbent Tara B. Kea or a write-in for mayor, and they can also choose not more than six town council members, including Charles L. Stallard, B. Frank Cook Jr., Roland N. Britt, Paul S. Kea Jr., Clifton Merrell Carr Jr., H. Massey Joyner or write-in options.

In the town of Capron, voters can select between incumbent William Nick Kitchen or a write-in for mayor, and they can also select not more than six town council members, including Phillip C. Mcgee, William G. Jarratt Jr., Christopher W. Burns, Reginald T. Vaughan Sr., Timothy M. Futrell, Allene S. Edwards or write-in options.

In the town of Courtland, voters can determine between incumbent Danny Roy Williams or a write-in for mayor. Voters can vote for not more than two candidates in the Ward A Courtland Town Council race, which features Shameka M. Key, Perry A. Goodwyn or write-in options. The same conditions apply in the Ward B race, which features Jerry C. Morgan, Jason C. Fowler and write-in options. Lastly, the same conditions apply in the Ward C race, which features Sandra E. Joyner, Lou Anne Davis and write-in options.

In the town of Newsoms, voters can choose between incumbent Vanless D. “VD” Worrell or a write-in for mayor. Voters can also choose not more than six town council members, including Diane L. Dovell and write-in options.

ON THE BALLOT IN WINDSOR

On the ballot this year in Windsor, voters have the options of Luria, Kiggans or a write-in candidate for the 2nd Congressional District.

For the Isle of Wight County School Board District 4 seat, the options are Jason P. Maresh, Michael R. Vines or a write-in candidate.

George L. Stubbs Jr., who currently sits on the Windsor Town Council, is running unopposed for the office of mayor in Windsor, but voters also have the write-in option.

Lastly, there are four candidates on the ballot for Windsor Town Council, plus three lines for write-in candidates. The four candidates on the ballot include Marlin W. Sharp, incumbent J. Randy Carr, David T. Adams and Edward G. Dowdy II.

An instruction on the ballot indicates that voters cannot vote for more than three candidates in this race, including the write-in options.

With the terms expiring this year for Stubbs, who is running for only the mayoral council seat; Councilwoman Kelly Blankenship, who is not seeking reelection, and Carr, there will be three council seats filled via the November election.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more information on the election, contact Southampton County Registrar Lynn Burgess at (757) 653-9280 or lburgess@southamptoncounty.org, or contact Franklin Voter Registrar Jennifer Maynard at (757) 562-8545 or jmaynard@franklinva.com, or contact Isle of Wight County General Registrar-Director of Elections Lisa Betterton at 757-365-6230 or LLBetterton@iwus.net.

The Tidewater News will soon be running Q&As with mayoral candidates and Franklin City Council candidates to help inform readers about their positions on key issues.