RELEASE: Shenandoah Valley Legislators Respond to Proposed Election Date Change

April 10, 2020

Shenandoah Valley Legislators Respond to Governor’s Proposal to Move Municipal Elections from May to November

General Assembly Members Oppose Governor’s Plan to Move Municipal Elections to November

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Jennifer Aulgur

PHONE: (804) 833-1081

HARRISONBURG, VA – Today, Senator Mark Obenshain (R-Rockingham), along with fellow Shenandoah Valley Delegates John Avoli (R-Staunton), Ronnie Campbell (R-Fairfield), Chris Runion (R-Bridgewater) and Tony Wilt (R-Harrisonburg), issued the following joint statement in response to Governor Northam’s announcement earlier this week to move the municipal elections scheduled for May to November.

“I support delaying the election until June, to be held at the same time as the Primary elections. I also hope the Governor will not order absentee votes already cast to be discarded,” said Delegate Avoli.

Delegate Campbell added, “There are fair and reasonable concerns that Virginia could be hitting the peak of its COVID-19 curve around May 5, and that we should therefore follow social distancing and other containment methods urged by the CDC and Virginia Coronavirus Taskforce. I support postponing the May 5 date –but not to November.”

“The Governor has suggested that absentee ballots already cast for the May election be thrown out. This is not the best solution to this problem. Our voter registrars are more than capable at ensuring these ballots are kept safe and are counted at the appropriate time,” said Delegate Runion.

Delegate Tony Wilt added, “The Governor has already moved the June 9 primary date to June 23, and there is no reason why municipal elections could not also take place on that same day.”

Senator Obenshain concluded, “We sincerely hope the Governor will reconsider his proposal. There is an option that keeps Virginians safe and healthy, keeps local self-determination in place, does not subordinate local issues to the furor and din of a Presidential election, and maintains the high level of integrity that our electoral system requires and that our citizens expect.”

You can read the Governor’s full news release here.

Senator Obenshain represents the twenty-sixth district in the Senate of Virginia. The district includes the city of Harrisonburg and the counties of Warren, Shenandoah, Page Rappahannock and Rockingham (part).

Delegate Avoli represents the twentieth district in the Virginia House of Delegates. The district includes the cities of Staunton and Waynesboro and the counties of Augusta (part), Highland and Nelson (part).

Delegate Campbell represents the twenty-fourth district in the Virginia House of Delegates. The district includes the cities of Buena Vista and Lexington and the counties of Amherst (part), Augusta (part), Bath and Rockbridge.

Delegate Runion represents the twenty-fifth district in the Virginia House of Delegates. The district includes the counties of Albermarle (part), Augusta (part), and Rockingham (part).

Delegate Wilt represents the twenty-sixth district in the Virginia House of Delegates. The district includes the city of Harrisonburg and the county of Rockingham (part.)

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