Only 1 of 3 early voting locations open in Richmond

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - Some tension is flaring up during in-person early voting in Richmond as two of the city’s satellite offices will not be open for early voting until mid-October. That means there is only one location for voters to cast their ballots early - the registrar’s office on Laburnum.

But some voters did not know that. At least two city council members say hundreds of voters showed up to the satellite office at Hickory Hill on Friday, the first day of early voting, to find it was not open.

Councilmember Mike Jones says the lack of early voting locations is unfair, especially to those on the city’s southside.

“It is unacceptable that residents of Richmond’s southside should have to wait an additional 30 days to have an early voting site option accessible within a reasonable distance,” Jones said in a statement.

The Richmond branch of the NAACP says the electoral board needs to take immediate action to ensure that satellite offices are always in place on the first date of early voting.

“Voting should be easy, simple and accessible to all,” read a statement from the branch. “The Richmond VA Branch NAACP is requesting that the Electoral Board take immediate and necessary action to ensure that Satellite offices are always in place on the first date of early voting.”

The NAACP is also asking for additional polling precincts to be added throughout the city during general elections.

The voting locations at Hickory Hill and City Hall will open for early voting on Sunday, Oct. 17.

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