ROANOKE, Va. – The June primaries are here, and if you plan on voting early you only have until Saturday, June 15, to cast your ballot.
First, this is a dual primary, which means that both Republicans and Democrats can vote in this election.
10 News is working for you by breaking down what some of the local races look like in Southwest Virginia.
In Roanoke County, it’s a Republican primary. The Board of Supervisors Vinton district seat is up for reelection. Currently, there are two Republicans running, including incumbent Tammy Shepherd. The other candidate is Tim Greenway.
If you live in Roanoke City, it’s a Democratic primary. There are three open seats on the Roanoke City Council. Four people are on the ballot, including Jamaal Jackson, Phazhon Nash, Benjamin Woods and Terry McGuire.
There is also a local election in Lynchburg City. The Republican Ward 4 seat in Lynchburg’s City Council is up for reelection.
There are two state-wide elections as well. Congressman Bob Good is up for re-election in the U.S. House of Representatives for District 5, which includes Campbell, Bedford, Pittsylvania and Appomattox Counties. There are also three people running in the Democratic Primary for District 5, including Gloria Witt, Paul Riley and Gary Terry.
Five Republicans are vying to take Senator Tim Kain’s seat in this primary election as well.
“It’s very important to participate in that because you’re choosing the people in those two offices that are gonna be on the ballot in November. So, if you are passionate about who you can vote for in November, you need to turn out and be sure that they end up on the ballot in November. That’s what this primary election is about,” said Director of Election and General Registrar Andrew Cochran for Roanoke City.
You’ll need to bring an ID with you, such as a driver’s license, if you plan on voting in the primary elections. Also, if you’re voting by mail, your ballot must be postmarked no later than Election Day, Tuesday, June 18, to your registrar’s office. The registrar must receive your ballot no later than noon on the Friday after Election Day.
The June Primaries are on Tuesday, June 18.
10 News also spoke with election leaders this week about what early voting looks like in Southwest Virginia.
Here’s an estimate of how many people have cast their votes so far:
Pittsylvania County:
- 468 People Voted in Person
Craig County:
- 23 People Voted in Person
- 16 Absentee Ballots Returned
Campbell County:
- 670 people voted in person
- About 550 absentee ballots returned
Roanoke County:
- 754 people voted in person
- More than 365 absentee ballots returned
Roanoke City:
- More than 530 people voted in person
- About 1,000 absentee ballots returned
Lynchburg City:
- About 770 people voted in person
- About 1,000 absentee ballots returned