Did you mark it on your calendar? The Virginia Presidential Primary Election is on Tuesday, February 12, 2008. For those of you who live in Virginia, I beseech you to take advantage of your right to vote. This is a privilege that is easily taken for granted…an event that so many people in many other countries are not able to participate in. Act on it!

Frequently Asked Questions About Virginia’s Presidential Primaries: A Voter’s Guide
(Information courtesy of http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/)

1. When will Virginia’s presidential primaries be held?
Virginia’s presidential primaries will be held Tuesday, February 12th. Polls will open at 6:00 a.m. and will close at 7:00 p.m. If you are already in line to vote at 7:00 p.m. you will still be allowed to vote.

2. Do I need to re-register in order to vote in Virginia’s presidential primaries to be held on Tuesday, February 12th?
No. If you are already a registered voter in the Commonwealth of Virginia you may vote in the presidential primaries to be held Tuesday, February 12, 2008.
If you are a registered voter in another state, not registered to vote in the Commonwealth of Virginia, you may not vote in Virginia’s presidential primaries.
If you are uncertain of your voter registration status go to the Virginia State Board of Elections home page at www.sbe.virginia.gov and click on Voter Information.

3. Do I need to register with a party in order to vote in the presidential primaries to be held Tuesday, February 12th?
No. The Commonwealth of Virginia does not require you to register by party affiliation when registering to vote. Virginia holds open primaries. This means that you may vote in either the Democratic Primary or the Republican Primary, but not both.
When you go to the polls on Election Day, if qualified to vote, you will be asked if you want the Democratic ballot or the Republican ballot. You will then be given the ballot you requested.

4. Where do I go to vote?
You vote in your normal polling place. If your normal polling place is in a school, please remember that school will still be in session on Tuesday, February 12th. Therefore, please allow extra time for parking and be alert for school children.
If you do not know your polling place go to the State Board of Elections home page at www.sbe.virginia.gov and click on Voter Information.

5. Who may vote in Virginia’s presidential primaries to be held on Tuesday, February 12th?
All registered voters in the Commonwealth of Virginia who will be 18 or older by the November presidential election.

6. What type of ID will I be required to have in order to vote in Virginia’s presidential primaries?
When you go to the polls you will be asked to present identification. Federal law requires certain voters voting in their first federal election to present any one of the following acceptable forms of ID:
a current and valid photo identification
or
One of the documents listed below that shows your name and address:
- a current utility bill
- bank statement
- government check or paycheck or
- another government document
All other voters must present one of the following acceptable forms of ID:
- Virginia voter registration card
- Valid Virginia driver’s license
- Military ID
- Any federal, state or local government issued ID
- Employer issued photo ID card
- Social Security card

7. If I don’t have a valid form of ID on Election Day will I still be able to vote?
Yes. If you forget to bring acceptable ID to the polls you may still vote. Most voters without ID will be requested to sign, under oath, an Affirmation of Identity form affirming your identity. If you require assistance to vote by reason of physical disability or an inability to read or write you may request assistance in completing this statement. If you are voting for the first time in a federal election and and do not show ID, you may be required to vote what is called a provisional ballot. This paper ballot will be counted once it is confirmed you are a registered voter in Virginia and did not cast another ballot.
For more information about Virginia voter identification requirements see: http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/voterID

8. Will there be voting equipment accessible for the disabled?
Yes. In accordance with state law and the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), every polling location in Virginia will be equipped with at least one accessible voting system to allow voters with a disability to vote in the same private and independent manner as a voter without a disability.

For more general information, click on Voter Information on the
Virginia State Board of Elections home page.
www.sbe.virginia.gov

Tags: Mike Huckabee, Politics

This entry was posted on Monday, February 11th, 2008 at 9:06 pm and is filed under Brittany. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.