If you plan to vote in Virginia, you should hop online now to check that you are still registered to vote at your current address. Never mind that the last time you went to the polls, you were able to vote. You should check again. Monday, Oct. 15 is the deadline. Go to elections.virginia.gov or call your local Elections Office. The Fairfax County Elections office at 703-222-0776.

If for any reason you didn’t vote on the last Election Day or the one before that, and you might have missed a possible postcard asking you to confirm your residence, it’s important to check that you are registered to vote. A Supreme Court decision specifically allows states to move forward with purging voters under some relatively common circumstances. Whenever names are purged from a list, the likelihood of mistakes is present. Voting is so important, no matter what your inclinations, this year. Check your registration now.

To determine whether eligible and registered to vote in this election, visit the Virginia Department of Elections website at elections.virginia.gov/ or call Fairfax Elections office at 703-222-0776.

To vote on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, 6 a.m.-7 p.m. (General Election)

• Register/update address by: Monday, Oct. 15. Or ...
• Request absentee ballot by mail by: 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 30. Or ...
• Vote early, in-person absentee, by appearing in person by 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3

Really, if you qualify for any of about 20 reasons to vote absentee, there is no reason to wait until Election Day Nov. 6 to vote.

Early voting is already well underway.

One of the 20 reasons is if you might be working and commuting to and from home for 11 or more hours between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Election Day. Check the Virginia Department of Elections list to see if you are eligible: https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/absentee-voting/index.htmll

There are two ways to vote absentee, in-person and by mail. To do either, you should first check your voter registration status to make sure it is up-to-date. If you vote absentee in-person you will fill out the application when you arrive at the in-person absentee location.

Early Voting Locations, Dates and Hours

Through Saturday, Nov. 3 at the government center, and Oct. 13-Nov. 3 at the satellite locations.

Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Conference Room 2/3, Fairfax, VA, 22035

Until Oct. 12: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Thursday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Oct. 15-Nov. 3: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Oct. 6-Nov. 3: Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Satellite Locations are open Oct. 13 - Nov. 3

Weekdays: Monday thru Friday, 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Saturdays: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Sundays: Closed

• Franconia Governmental Center, 6121 Franconia Road, Alexandria, VA 22310
• Lorton Library, 9520 Richmond Highway, Lorton, VA 22079
• Mason Governmental Center, 6507 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003
• McLean Governmental Center, 1437 Balls Hill Road, McLean, VA 22101
• Mount Vernon Governmental Center, 2511 Parkers Lane, Alexandria, VA 22306
• North County Governmental Center, 1801 Cameron Glen Drive, Reston, VA 20190
• Providence Community Center, 3001 Vaden Drive, Fairfax, VA 22031
• Sully Governmental Center, 4900 Stonecroft Boulevard, Chantilly, VA 20151
• West Springfield Governmental Center, 6140 Rolling Road, Springfield, VA 22152

Virginia Voter ID

You must show identification to vote. Acceptable forms of valid identification: Virginia driver’s license, Virginia DMV-issued photo ID, United States passport, Employer-issued photo ID, Student photo ID issued by a school, college, or university located in Virginia, Other U.S. or Virginia government-issued photo ID, Tribal enrollment or other tribal photo ID, or Virginia Voter Photo ID card

Need a Photo ID?

If you don’t have an ID, go to your voter registration office to get a free Voter Photo ID, even on Election Day. You will be required to complete an photo ID application, have your photo taken and to sign a digital signature pad.

Forgot your photo ID on Election Day?

If you get to your polling place without acceptable photo ID, you can vote a provisional ballot. You will be given instructions on what to do so your vote can count. A voter will have until noon on the Friday following the election to deliver a copy of the identification to the local electoral board or to appear in person to apply for a Virginia Voter Photo ID Card.

For more information on voting in Fairfax County:

Fairfax County Office of Elections

12000 Government Center Parkway Suite 323

Fairfax, VA, 22035

Voter Registration: 703-222-0776, TTY 711

Absentee Fax: 703-324-3725

Email: voting@fairfaxcounty.gov

Election Officer Info: 703-324-4735, TTY 711

For 24-hour recorded information call 703-324-4700

On The Ballot Fairfax County, Nov. 6, 2018

UNITED STATES SENATE

Corey A. Stewart (R)

Timothy M. Kaine (D)

Matt J. Waters (L)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

District 8

Thomas S. Oh (R)

Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D)

District 10

Barbara J. Comstock (R)

Jennifer T. Wexton (D)

District 11

Jeff A. Dove Jr. (R)

Gerald Edward Connolly (D)

Stevan M. Porter (L)

HERNDON, MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL

If you live inside the Town of Herndon, local elections for mayor and Town Council are now in November. These are nonpartisan positions.

http://www.herndon-va.gov/government/mayor-town-council/town-elections

Mayor

Lisa C. Merkel, unopposed

Town Council, vote for six, * means incumbent

Jennifer K. Baker *

Grace Wolf Cunningham *

Cesar A. Del Aguila

Pradip Dhakal

Signe V. Friedrichs *

W. J. “Sean” Kenis Jr.

William “Bill” J. McKenna *

Sheila A. Olem *

Joseph T. “Joe” Plummer

Roland Taylor

FAIRFAX COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY BOND

TEXT: Shall Fairfax County, Virginia, contract a debt, borrow money, and issue bonds in the maximum aggregate principal amount of $182,000,000 to provide funds, in addition to funds from public safety facilities bonds previously authorized, to finance, including reimbursement to the County for temporary financing for, the costs of public safety facilities, including the construction, reconstruction, enlargement, renovation and equipment of civil and criminal justice facilities, police training and operational facilities and stations, fire and rescue training facilities and stations, including fire and rescue stations owned by volunteer organizations, and the acquisition of necessary land?

$73 million would be earmarked for improvements to four fire stations — Mount Vernon ($16 million), Fairview ($16 million), Gunston ($13 million), and Seven Corners ($13 million) — that are all 37 years or older. An additional $15 million would be used to improve one of the eight volunteer stations that is more than 40 years old.

The Fairfax County Police Department would receive $59 million: $18 million to renovate and expand the Mason District Station which was built in 1975; $18 million to renovate and upgrade its Criminal Justice Academy, and $18 million to renovate, expand or replace the Police Evidence Storage Building used to store evidence for court cases, and also houses the warrant desk and the victim services section.

The Adult Detention Center needs $45 million of improvements to three wings, including plumbing, electrical, HVAC, elevator and fire protection systems as well as security and camera equipment. $5 million would be used to improve the Jennings Judicial Center.

TWO VIRGINIA CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT BALLOT QUESTIONS

State Ballot Question One

Question: Should a county, city, or town be authorized to provide a partial tax exemption for real property that is subject to recurrent flooding, if flooding resiliency improvements have been made on the property?

State Ballot Question Two

Question: Shall the real property tax exemption for a primary residence that is currently provided to the surviving spouses of veterans who had a one hundred percent service-connected, permanent, and total disability be amended to allow the surviving spouse to move to a different primary residence and still claim the exemption?