To the editor,
Another election cycle is here and we, as citizens, have a right and responsibility to cast our vote by ballot. On the ballot in November, there will be candidates for House Delegate (we are in the 62nd district), Board of Supervisors (3 seats), School Board (3 seats), and the top positions (Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General) for the state of Virginia. The candidates running for Virginia’s Governor are Winsome Earle-Sears (Republican; she is currently our Lieutenant Governor) and Abigail Spanberger (Democrat). Running for the Lieutenant Governor spot are Ghazala F. Hashmi (Democrat) and John Reid (Republican). Rounding out the top positions, Attorney General candidates are Jay C. Jones (Democrat) and Jason Miyares (Republican and our current Attorney General). Karen Hamilton (Republican) and Sara Ratcliffe (Democrat) are running to represent us in the House of Delegates in the 62nd District. At the local level, we have races for Board of Supervisors and School Board. Running for the 3 seats for the Madison County Board of Supervisors are James (Jim) Jewett, Nancy Sharman, Mike Snider, and Clay Jackson (he is running a write-in campaign). Running for the 3 seats for the Madison County School Board are M. Graham Davidson, Mitchell Dickey, Lauran Gordon, and Brittany L. Shankle.
On Monday, Sept. 22, there will be a local candidates’ forum for board of supervisors and school board sponsored by the Madison County Electoral Board. This is a great opportunity to hear the candidates as they respond to questions. It is being held at Madison County High School from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. Board of supervisor candidates have the 6:30 to 7:30 slot and school board candidates have the 7:45 to 8:45 slot. Questions will not be taken from the floor. You can email questions for the forum at madcova.candidate.forum@gmail.com, put them in a box before the forum at the Registrar’s office 830 to 4:30 M-F, or in-person from 6 to 6:15 at the HS before the event. There will be no “politicking” but there will be tables in the lobby with candidate material, including for the state-level elections. Feel free to visit after the Forum.
Please do your research on the candidates to find out what they stand for and what they can bring to the table for you, the citizens of Madison County.
This year, Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4. Early in-person voting begins on Friday, Sept. 19 at the Registrar’s Office. You will need to bring a form of identification to cast your ballot. If you are unable to vote in-person either early or Nov. 4, please request the application to vote by absentee ballot (from the Registrar’s Office).
Casting your vote by ballot is your voice. If you want to make your voice heard, I strongly encourage you to vote early (in-person), by absentee ballot or in-person on Election Day. This year’s election needs your voice.
Robin Brown
Madison
