A look at Virginia’s lengthy early voting period

EarlyvotingstartsonFriday. Virginiahas45daysofearlyvoting,oneofthelongestinthecountry.Andeveryyear,Republicansofferlegislationtorollbackthatwindow.ButthoseeffortsarerejectedtimeandtimeagainbyDemocratswhocontroltheGeneralAssembly. “Asyoucanimagine,manyofourconstituentsthroughouttheCommonwealthareworkingnumeroushours,”saysSenatorAaronRouse,aDemocratfromVirginiaBeachwhoischairmanoftheSenatecommitteethatoverseeslegislationonvoting.“So,lesseningthosedaysshortenstheopportunitiestomakesurethosememberswhoareworkingthose40plushoursaweektheopportunitytovote.” But45daysofearlyvotingistoomuch,saysDelegateChadGreen,aRepublicanfromYorkCounty.Hesaysit’sjusttooexpensive. “Itcostseachjurisdictionroughly$2,000aday,”Greensays.“So,whenyouadditallup,it’saconsiderablecosttothecitizensintheCommonwealthtoanumbersomewhereinthebestofmycalculationsbetween$4millionand$8million.” Greensaysheplansonvoti