On September 1, a ribbon was cut to officially open the new Goochland General Registrar’s office. Housed in the brick structure along Sandy Hook Road behind the administration building, the office is expected to serve the county’s electoral needs for the next 15 to 25 years.
Interim County Administrator Derek Stamey, who also serves as deputy county administrator for operations, which shepherded the project from concept to reality, spoke briefly before the ceremony.
“Goochland County typically has one of the highest voter turnouts regardless of the election,” Stamey said. “This shows the county’s support for the most basic right of citizens, the right to vote and engage our government. “The previous office was 628 square feet. This new structure meets all of the registrar’s needs and at 1750 square feet is about three times larger than the previous space. It meets needs for customer service; has adequate office space; secure storage for voting apparatus; and two multi-use conference rooms to serve citizens and train election officials. The renovation—the building previously housed the extension office—included lots of nuances to the design. All of doors are oversized and floors were reinforced.
Robin Lind, secretary of the Goochland Electoral Board, commended Stamey for ensuring that every part of the new registrar’s office was completed correctly.
The gracious new space is fully compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. Double doors open into a customer service center. Its walls are decorated with an electoral map of Goochland County; several annual commendations from the Virginia Electoral Board Association for the county’s high percentage of voter turnout; and a commemoration of past Registrar and Director of Elections, Frances C. Ragland, who served county voters for more than three decades to ensure safe, fair, and honest elections.
Later in the afternoon, Lind, one of two democrats on the three-member electoral board—the majority on electoral boards in Virginia is held by the same party at the governor—presented an update on voting rules for the November 3 general election.
He reported that 2,154 applications for absentee ballots,11 percent of active Goochland voters, had been received as of September 1. Lind believes that the county is on track to have at least 20 percent of voters request absentee ballots, which will begin on September 18. “This is a stunning change for voters across the Commonwealth.”
Photo ID is no longer required but a personal ID must be presented to vote. Lind believes that most citizens will use their driver’s license, which can be scanned. No excuse is needed for absentee voting, which is now referred to by the Board of Elections as “vote by mail.” Polling places will be regulated on November 3 for social distancing and face covering will be required for entry. Voters unable or unwilling to wear a mask will be able call inside so an election official can bring a ballot so those citizens may vote curbside. “We will not discourage anyone from voting.”
The Blair Road precinct will be relocated to St. Mary’s Episcopal Church on River Road. County Line precinct is expected to be moved to Hadensville Company 6 fire-rescue station on Rt. 250 in Hadensville. Lind said that all absentee ballot requests will include postage paid return envelopes, whose cost will be reimbursed by the board of elections.
To provide for the safety of voters and officers of election voters will be able to return absentee ballots to drop off locations, one at the registrar’s office, and potential locations at Byrd Elementary School; Goochland High School; and Randolph Elementary school beginning September 18. These will be secure locations under surveillance. There will also be a drop off box at each polling location to enable voters, concerned about Covid transmission, to deliver their ballots without interacting with people inside.
Mailed ballots postmarked on or before election day will be counted, said Lind. The final vote tally will take place on Friday, November 6 for this election only.
The last day to register to vote or update voter information is Tuesday, October 13. The last day to request a mailed absentee ballot is Friday, October 23. The last day to vote absentee in person is Saturday, October 31.
During their September 1 evening session, the supervisors unanimously approved an ordinance to establish a voter satellite office at the Parks & Recreation building at the County Complex, 1800 Sandy Hook Road, to be used for in-person absentee voting for the November 3, 2020 election.
As a member of a group formerly denied the right to vote, GOMM will proudly present a photo ID to establish eligibility to participate in the most sacred duty of American citizens and cast a ballot in person on November 3 while masked.
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