Prince William County is considering significant changes to its early voting ordinance, aiming to enhance accessibility and streamline the process for voters. General Registrar Eric Olsen presented a comprehensive plan to the county Electoral Board, highlighting the current trends in early voting and proposing adjustments to meet the community’s evolving needs.
Olsen noted that while early voting has seen steady participation, it remains relatively flat compared to other methods, such as mail-in voting. “Early voting is kind of flat right now,” Olsen said, indicating that only about 25% of voters opt for early voting, with the majority still preferring Election Day turnout.
In response to this trend, Olsen proposed a “one-two-three” system for early voting, which would allocate specific timeframes for different types of elections. Under this system, satellite voting sites would be operational for one week during Primaries, two weeks for General Elections, and three weeks for Presidential General Elections.
The proposed changes aim to address several key issues. Firstly, there is a plan to expand the number of satellite voting locations to ensure geographic and political balance across the county. The more densely-populated eastern section of the county votes for Democrats while, historically, the west has learned more Republican. This expansion would bring early voting closer to more voters, thereby increasing accessibility. Additionally, Olsen suggested using the same locations for all elections to provide consistency and familiarity to voters.
In the east, those locations have historically been at the Woodbridge DMV on Caton Hill Road and the Ferlazzo Government Building on Route 1.
Explaining the plan’s logistics, Olsen emphasized that each satellite location could handle hundreds of voters daily, significantly increasing the overall capacity for early voting. Furthermore, the proposed schedule includes three weekend days for voting, accommodating those with busy weekday schedules. He did not name the proposed locations.
The timeline for implementing these changes is ambitious, with Olsen aiming to have the new early voting ordinance in place by late spring or summer, in time for the fall presidential election. Despite potential increases in costs during presidential General Elections, Olsen estimated that the overall savings over a four-year cycle would be substantial, thanks to increased efficiency and reduced staffing needs.
One notable aspect of the proposed changes is the inclusion of Sunday voting, which has received unanimous support from the Electoral Board. While Sunday voting is favored for its accessibility, it is suggested to start voting hours later in the day to accommodate voters and election officers.
The Board of County Supervisors must approve the change to the voting ordinance.
