RADFORD, Va— In the last presidential election 506,672 of the total votes from Virginia were
absentee votes.
Absentee voting provides a way for voters to participate in elections even though they
may not be able to go to the polls on Election Day. Absentee voting in person begins at least 45
days before most elections and ends for in-person absentee voters on the Saturday before the
election.
Right now absentee voting is the only way for Virginia voters to cast their ballots early.
Tracy Howard with the registrar office says he thinks early voting is a great thing that can
help increase voter turnout. But Howard says Virginia does not have the budget to fund an
absentee or early voting precinct.
He says since the budget for state aid in localities was cut again there would not be
enough money to staff the precinct with at least three officers of election for 45 days prior to the
election or up to the Saturday before the election.
So for Howard and the other employees will remain busy at the local registrar office
helping all the early voters.
Currently in order to vote absentee the government says a voter must have a valid excuse
and being a college student not able to make it home for Election Day is considered a valid
excuse.
This is why the Sociology Club at Radford University was outside the Bonnie
Wednesday with stamped envelopes ready to help students prepare and send off their absentee
ballot applications.
Jeremy Mobley, treasurer and webmaster for the Sociology Club, said the club decided to
give out information about absentee voting after finding some of the other clubs on campus were
just helping students register to vote.
“We wanted to give every student the opportunity to vote because I know that a lot of
students aren’t going to be able to make it back home on Election Day,” said Mobley. “An
absentee ballot gives every student the opportunity to have their input on the election.”
Mobley said the main questions students are asking are when the applications are due and
when they need turn in their ballot.
He tells these unsure students the deadline for applying to vote absentee by mail is 5 p.m.
the Tuesday before the election and the application must be returned to their county registrar. He
also wants to make sure students fill out the ballot correctly and sign it in all the right places.
Howard said there are two very important signatures needed on one envelope.
“Be very care when returning your ballot. There is an envelope that you have to fill out
sign and a witness has to sign it and very often people will skip that part of the instructions and
their ballot has to be rejected,” said Howard. “If it’s not signed we have to send the voter a letter
telling them their ballot was rejected because they did not complete the oath.”
After the voter gives the paper their John Hancock all they need to do is put the ballot in
a stamped envelope and mail it back to their county registrar.
All ballots must be received by the Electoral Board by 7 p.m. on Election Day, and if the
voter is returning the ballot in person, only the voter can return it.
Mobley assures voters the application is an easy and quick process and Caroline
Musumarra, Vice President of the Sociology Club, knows firsthand just how stress-free absentee
voting is.
“It’s very easy they send you the ballot. They send you an envelope that has to be sealed
and signed with a witness signature just so they know it’s actually you voting and an envelope to
put that envelope in,” said Musumarra. “The only thing it doesn’t come with is a stamp. But
stamps are cheap and I think everyone can afford a stamp.”
Even though Mobley and the others in the Sociology Club are no longer outside the
Bonnie students can still pick up absentee ballot applications from McConnell Library. Or,
students can go give Howard a visit at the registrar office.