Last Day for In-Person Absentee Voting

Time is running out for voters in Fredericksburg and across the commonwealth to vote early. Today is the last day for voters to submit absentee ballots in person. Any absentee ballots sent out after today will need to be mailed to the registrar's office.

 The Fredericksburg Registrar's Office will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today to collect last minute absentee ballots.

"Absentee voting is a very good means for people who are not able to be present at the polls on election day," said Fredericksburg Registrar Juantia Pitchford. "For those who are disabled or sick or who are going on vacation or who have to be away as a means to business, this is a way for them to vote."

As of yesterday, the Fredericksburg Registrar's Office has had 105 people submit absentee ballots in person. Another 78 absentee ballots had been received in the mail. According to Fredercksburg Assistant Registrar and Absentee Voting Coordinator Cynthia Rogers, that's more absentee ballots than were submitted during the 2010 midterm elections.

"I don't think we had 100 people all together, in person or in the mail for our last election," said Rogers.

Absentee voting is popular with police officers, fire fighters and other first responders who have to work on election day. Technically, you have to have a valid reason to submit an early ballot, but the list of acceptable reasons is broad. According to rogers, you can submit an absentee ballot if you are a student attending classes out of the area, if you are on personal business, traveling, on vacation, suffer from a disability or are pregnant.

Voters can submit an absentee ballot (between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.) at the Fredericksburg Voter Registrar's office located in suite 100 of Executive Plaza at 601 Caroline Street.