VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Hampton Roads’ biggest city is taking steps to make sure voters have every opportunity to cast their ballots, this presidential election.
Virginia Beach city council voted unanimously to add four additional satellite absentee voting locations, which means four more places for residents there to vote early.
Mayor Bobby Dyer said it’s because the city is expecting more people than ever to show up and vote this year.
“The thing is, it was a very practical thing to do, especially when we anticipate that this is going to be a high turn-out election," Dyer said. " And just creating other venues, we make it more convenient, maybe reduce lines in some other places.”
Reducing lines isn’t just about convenience, Virginia Beach Registrar General Donna Patterson noted we’re still in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing requirements are still in place.
“It’s the convenience of voters – as well as not having everyone at one location for voting," Patterson said. "We did that before coronavirus, but it’s especially important now with social distancing to not have everyone voting in the same location.”
The Treasurer’s office in Fairfield, as well as the Seatack, Great Neck, and Bayside recreation centers are the new early voting locations.
Thanks to a recent change in law, anyone can vote early, as long as they’re registered.
“With early voting, you don’t have to fill out a form saying why you want to vote before election day," Patterson said. “Satellite voting locations will work just like coming to our office to vote. When you come to our office to vote, you fill out the ballot and you’re able to insert that ballot.”
Early voting at the satellite locations begins on October 19.
Early voting at the Virginia Beach municipal center starts this month on the 18th.