Early Voting Options Available as Election Day November 5, 2024 Approaches

With national, as well as local Election Day 2024 less than three months away, we contacted the Warren County Office of Elections and Voter Registrar about the status of early voting in the run up to Election Day, November 5th. In his first year on the job after succeeding Warren County Director of Elections and Registrar Carol Tobin, who retired last year after a quarter of a century on the job she began here in 1999, Matthew Reisinger verified details of the Early Voting protocols and dates we encountered on the department’s website (https://warrencountyva.gov/577/Voter-Registration)

Matthew Reisinger, with predecessor Carol Tobin at Farewell party for Tobin last Fall. Royal Examiner File Photos Roger Bianchini

In-person, Early Voting is listed as beginning Friday, September 20, and continuing through Saturday, November 2, three days before Tuesday’s Election Day 2024. We asked if the In-person, early voting would be offered every Monday through Friday during that span.

“Correct. In-person early voting is offered starting Friday, September 20 thru Saturday, November 2, Monday thru Friday,” Reisinger confirmed, with two Saturdays added in, including that final Early Voting day of November 2nd. The other Saturday Early-Voting day is October 26, perhaps making up for the closed Monday, October 14, celebration of Columbus Day.

Early In-person voting hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at one location, Reisinger verified, the Warren County Office of Elections & Voter Registration, located at 465 West 15th Street, Suite 800, in the County Health and Human Services complex in the old middle school, on the football field/track side of the complex.

The path to In-person Early Voting – we know that football field and track are a familiar sight for many of you.

Would we be likely to see any candidate or political party campaigning during the In-person, Early Voting days, we wondered. “Campaigners will be permitted outside the prohibited area – 40 feet from the entrance of the polling place,” Reisinger told us of those hearty enough to make their campaign case to an unpredictable number of early voters on various days in the month-and-a-half run up to Election Day. “It is my understanding that county administration will require those campaigning to remove everything each night,” he added of any campaign signage presented to early voters.

Our first-year Registrar, who has worked as an Officer of Elections with the department since 2016, also explained that after its September 20th thru November 2nd run of early voting, the Registrar’s Office will not be an Election Day voting site.

“The Registrar’s Office is home to the Central Absentee Precinct, also known as ‘CAP’, which is responsible for processing both In-person early voting and by-mail absentee ballots. No voting takes place in our office on Election Day. Voting will occur at all 11 countywide precincts on Election Day. Our office will be open on Election Day to assist voters with any questions they may have,” Reisinger told us. And he reminded us those Election Day precinct voting sites will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Election Day, November 5th.

We told Reisinger that with all the pre-election drama already at play on the national presidential election front, including brewing accusations of election fraud by whichever side loses, he had picked quite a year to take on the responsibility of overseeing the integrity of this community’s electoral process. Has he contemplated any additional security measures to assure the integrity and accuracy of the 2024 election count here?

“Before every election we are in contact with our many community partners to ensure that we are prepared to serve the voters of Warren County. Virginia has a very robust system in place to ensure both integrity and accuracy of the elections conducted within the state,” Reisinger replied, adding, “The canvass process which begins immediately after each election conducted by our local Electoral Board confirms unofficial results reported to our office on election night are accurate. We review our security posture every year in accordance with both Federal and State Election laws to prepare for every upcoming election.”

So, there you have it. Whether you vote early or take on the Election Day voting crowd, be sure you are registered to vote, so that your voice can be heard both nationally and locally on this Election Day 2024.