Registration deadline approaches

Staff Report
Published: September 13, 2008

With the big November Election drawing near, Culpeper County Voter’s Registrar Michele White urged citizens to update their voting information; there’s less than a month to do so.

The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 6. State law requires voters to be registered in the precinct in which they live in order to be qualified to vote.

With all of the candidates and their running mates now in place, White said, there has been a significant spike in calls from people seeking information about how to register to cast their vote.

There are a couple ways to do it:

- Stop by your local Voter Registration Office — for Culpeper voters that’s at 151 N. Main St. — to fill out an application or,
- Go online to sbe.virginia.gov to download the voter registration form, completely fill out the form, and drop it off at the registrar’s office during normal business hours by Oct. 6 or send it by mail — all applications sent via mail must be postmarked no later than Oct. 6.

Once you have submitted the voter registration form, citizens should receive their voter registration card in the mail within 30 days of receipt of the application.

If not, contact the Culpeper Registrar at 825-0652 to make sure the application has been processed.

Regarding DMV transactions, White urged voters to not assume that their voter registration has been updated just because they have been to the DMV to change their address.

“There is NOT a data link between DMV computer records and the State Board of Elections,” she said. “These departments have separate databases.”

If you are unsure whether your voter information has been updated, call the registrar’s office.

Or, check your voter registration status on-line anytime.

Go to sbe.virginia.gov, click on “Online Services,” “Verify Your Voter Registration Status” and then “Voter Registration.”

Type in your information to find out in which district you are registered. To change your voter registration information, follow the steps above.

IMPORTANT DATES
Last day to
register: Oct. 6

Last day to vote absentee by mail:
Oct. 28

Last day to vote absentee in
person: Nov. 1

For more information, call the Culpeper County Registrar’s Office at 825-0652, fax 825-8454 or via e-mail: