Early voting underway for June 21 Republican Primary

Early voting is underway for the 6th Congressional District’s Republican primary, which is scheduled for June 21. The general election is on Nov. 8.

With Virginia’s recent redistricting, Frederick and Clarke Counties, along with the City of Winchester, are no longer in the 10th District but have become a part of the 6th District. The 6th District now comprises the Northern Shenandoah Valley and runs along the I-81 corridor to Roanoke.

Incumbent Ben Cline, the district’s representative since 2019, and Frederick County resident Merritt Hale, a Navy veteran, are vying for the Republican nomination.

Jennifer Lewis is the lone Democrat to announce her candidacy. Danny LeBeau is also running as an independent.

Ben Cline

Merritt Hale

Jennifer Lewis

Danny LeBeau

Early voting began May 8 and is available from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on weekdays at the Warren County Office of Elections and Voter Registration located in the Warren County Health and Human Services Complex, at 465 W. 15th Street, Suite 800 in Front Royal. Drop boxes for early voting will be available at her office from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on weekdays.

Warren County Registrar Carol L. Tobin stated in an email Wednesday that “to date, Warren County has not had many voters turn out to take advantage of Early Voting in the 6th Congressional Republican Party Primary.”

She said that in addition to the weekday hours, her office will be open for voting on the two Saturdays before the primary — June 11 and 18 — from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Tobin noted that the Office of Elections will be closed on May 30, 2022, in observance of Memorial Day.

On Election Day, drop boxes will be available at each polling location. Ballots will be accepted in person until 7:00 pm on June 21. Mailed ballots will be accepted until noon on Friday, June 24, if they are postmarked by June 21.

Voters can register online here: Citizen Portal – Virginia Department of Elections or register at their local voter registration office.

To register in Virginia, one must:

• Be a resident of Virginia (a person who has come to Virginia for temporary purposes and intends to return to another state is not considered a resident for voting purposes).

• Be a U. S. Citizen.

• Be 18 years old (any person who is 17 years old and will be eighteen years of age at the next general election shall be permitted to register in advance and also vote in any intervening primary or special election).

• Not be registered and plan to vote in another state.

• Not currently declared mentally incompetent by a court of law.

• If convicted of a felony, your right to vote must have been restored.

For more information about voter registration, contact Carol L. Tobin, Warren County Director of Elections & General Registrar at (540) 635-4327.