As voting surges, Alexandria opens more early voting centers

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (ABC7) — Seeing a higher percentage of early voting than almost anywhere else in Virginia, Alexandria opened its second early voting location Friday, with two more opening Saturday.

On Friday the Beatley Library on Duke Street became the city’s second location for early in person voting. It joined the Office of Voter Registration & Elections on North Royal Street, which has had early voting since mid-September, as an early voting location.

On Saturday the Minnie Howard campus and George Washington Middle School will open as early voting locations as well, although they will only be open this Saturday and next Saturday the 31st.

Alexandria says by Wednesday of this week it had already seen more than half as many votes as it saw for the entire 2016 election including election day.

Director of elections Angie Maniglia Turner told ABC7 between in-person and mail-in voting, the city has already seen more early voting than it did in 2016.

Early voting runs through October 31. The Beatley Library and Office of Voter Registration locations will be open every day through then except for Sunday October 25.

The Office of Voter Registration will be open 8am – 5pm Saturdays, 8 am – 8 pm next Monday through Thursday, and 8 am – 6pm next Friday the 30th.

Beatley Library will be also be open 8am – 5pm both Saturdays, but will open later, at noon, Monday through Friday, closing at 8pm Monday through Thursday and at 6pm Friday.

Both Minnie Howard and George Washington will be open 8am – 5pm Saturday the 24th and Saturday the 31st.

On the first day of early voting at Beatley Library about 800 people voted there. More than 21,000 people have voted early in person in Alexandria so far, and the city has received more than 20 thousand mail-in ballots also.

In 2016 voters cast a total of 75,762 ballots in Alexandria including both early and election day voting.

Two main factors seem to be driving the spike in early voting. One is this appears to be a high interest election, and the other involves a change Virginia lawmakers made in response to COVID-19. Unlike in the past, voters no longer have to give a reason for voting early in Virginia.

Seeing a higher percentage of early voting than almost anywhere else in Virginia, Alexandria opened its second early voting location Friday, with two more opening Saturday.

On Friday the Beatley Library on Duke Street became the city’s second location for early in person voting. It joined the Office of Voter Registration & Elections on North Royal Street, which has had early voting since mid-September, as an early voting location.

On Saturday the Minnie Howard campus and George Washington Middle School will open as early voting locations as well, although they will only be open this Saturday and next Saturday the 31st.

Alexandria says by Wednesday of this week it had already seen more than half as many votes as it saw for the entire 2016 election including election day.

Director of elections Angie Maniglia Turner told ABC7 between in-person and mail-in voting, the city has already seen more early voting than it did in 2016.

Early voting runs through October 31. The Beatley Library and Office of Voter Registration locations will be open every day through then except for Sunday October 25.

The Office of Voter Registration will be open 8am – 5pm Saturdays, 8 am – 8 pm next Monday through Thursday, and 8 am – 6pm next Friday the 30th.

Beatley Library will be also be open 8am – 5pm both Saturdays, but will open later, at noon, Monday through Friday, closing at 8pm Monday through Thursday and at 6pm Friday.

Both Minnie Howard and George Washington will be open 8am – 5pm Saturday the 24th and Saturday the 31st.

On the first day of early voting at Beatley Library about 800 people voted there. More than 21,000 people have voted early in person in Alexandria so far, and the city has received more than 20 thousand mail-in ballots also.

In 2016 voters cast a total of 75,762 ballots in Alexandria including both early and election day voting.

Two main factors seem to be driving the spike in early voting. One is this appears to be a high interest election, and the other involves a change Virginia lawmakers made in response to COVID-19. Unlike in the past, voters no longer have to give a reason for voting early in Virginia.