By Brandon Martin
Voters will head to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls in Henry County and Martinsville will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sample ballots and polling locations are listed in this newspaper.
A registered voter needing to vote early may do so by 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31 by visiting the respective registrar’s office.
In Henry County, approximately 27 percent of 2016’s turnout have cast a ballot, according to the Henry County Registrar’s Office.
Based on Oct. 23 figures, the office reported 6,016 early voters cast a ballot from among the county’s 36,085 voters. An estimated 22,000 overall participated in the last presidential election.
More county residents have chosen to vote by mail instead of in-person, an official said. So far, there have been 3,696 mail-in ballots requested.
City officials reported that 38 percent of the 8,879 registered voters in Martinsville had cast a ballot during the No Excuse/Early Voting In-Person in the Registrar’s Office as of Oct. 27.
According to a release, 2,186 votes were cast on a machine, for a total of 3,340 ballots cast via machine and/or mailed in.
The final day to vote in-person is Saturday, Oct. 31, and ballots may be cast in person between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Elections/Voter Registration Office, Room 122, 55 W Church St. (Municipal Building) enter through front lobby.
COVID-19 safe practices will be followed to include 6-feet distancing and mask required inside building.
Curbside voting available at tent located on drive-through side of building. No appointment is necessary.
If you received a mailed ballot and have not returned it yet, bring it with you if voting in-person.
Votes also may be cast by mail-in ballots. Voters may bring them to cast on the machine in the office, or return it in person. Be sure to bring both envelopes – Ballot inside Envelope B and your pre-addressed return envelope (purple bar).
If you return your ballot by mail, it must be postmarked on or before Election Day, Nov. 3, 2020.
Deliver your ballot in-person to the general registrar’s office in Martinsville before 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Designated Ballot Drop-Box available for Martinsville City voters near the utility payment dropbox. It is available the same dates, times listed above for in-person, early voting. Monday, Nov. 2, is the last day the drop box will be available, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Voters are reminded to bring one form of identification with them, because identification is required. However, voter identification requirements have been expanded this year to include a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document containing the name and address of the voter.
Curbside voting is available in Martinsville, and all polling areas accessible to voters with special needs.
Voters are advised to practice COVID-19 safety recommendations, including 6-feet distancing and wearing a mask.
The deadline to vote in-person absentee/no excuse at the Elections and Registration Office is Oct. 31. In Henry County, the office is open from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. To find out about curbside voting options, call the Henry County Registrar’s Office at (276) 638-5108.
