Election Day 2011 is slowly approaching. On Tuesday, Nov. 8, voters in the Commonwealth of Virginia will determine the fate of 40 Senate seats along with a plethora of various local positions. Voters in the Farmville area will be part of a historic election, the first for the newly formed 22nd Senate, formed from the redistricting that was approved by the Virginia General Assembly earlier this year.
Republican Tom Garrett, Jr. will face off against Democrat Bert Dodson. Garrett won the Republican primary in August by less than 200 votes over Longwood University Associate Professor of Anthropology and Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice Studies Chair Dr. Brian Bates.
The newly formed district runs along the James River from Goochland County to Lynchburg, Va. The majority rural consistency includes all residents living in the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Buckingham, Cumberland, Fluvanna, and Prince Edward and part of the City of Lynchburg.
Along with the open Senate seat, Prince Edward Co. voters will also cast their votes for Commissioner of Revenue, Commonwealth's Attorney, Board of Supervisor members, Sheriff, Soil and Water Conversation Director for the Piedmont District and Treasurer for the county.
For students not voting at home on Election Day, absentee voting is an option; however, the deadline to mail in for an absentee application request has passed. Absentee voting can be done in person 45 days prior to the election up until the Saturday before the election. That means the last day to vote in person absentee at your local voting precinct will be this Saturday.
Many students at Longwood elect to vote absentee, so they may still vote for their home representatives. According to the State Board of Elections, "Any student attending a school or institution of learning, or his spouse, who will be absent on the day of election from the county or city in which he is entitled to vote" can vote absentee. Absentee ballot applications must have been received in your local voter registrar's office by 5 p.m. yesterday. The absentee ballots must arrive at the registrar's office Election Day by 7 p.m.
Longwood sophomore Laura Stuchlak said, "I think it's important to vote so that you can put in your opinion on what you think the government should do."
Students who plan on voting in town must also be registered to vote in Farmville. Unfortunately, the deadline to register to vote has passed. For information regarding poll places, call the Prince Edward County Registrar at 434-392-4767 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.