Early voting begins this week, Rasoul receives another state legislator endorsement, and Herring receives two gun violence prevention group endorsements

The latest in Virginia politics

Apr 19, 2021

Early voting for the Democratic primary races begins in just four days.

Virginia law allows for early voting to begin 45 days prior to the June 8 election, which is April 23. Any Virginian that is registered to vote will be able to participate in the Democratic primary.

You do not have to have a reason or fill out an application to vote early.
At the registrar’s office or satellite voting location, you must provide your name and address and show an acceptable form of ID or sign an ID Confirmation Statement. To view a complete list of acceptable IDs, visit the Voting In-Person page from the Department of Elections.
Accessible equipment and/or curbside voting is available upon request.
Click this link to apply online to vote by mail.
All paper absentee application forms can be found on the Voter Forms page.
Military and overseas voters can find specific information regarding absentee voting on the Military and Overseas page.
- After applying for mail-in abssentee, you can check to see if your absentee application was received, and whether your ballot was sent and received by going to the Citizen Portal.

The June 8 primary will determine the Democratic nominees for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general. Additionally, the voters in any House of Delegates districts that have multiple primary candidates will also be voting.

Republicans have chosen a convention, a party run process, to select their statewide candidates. There is no early-vote option for the convention so Republican voters that have been approved to participate by their local GOP units must turn in their ranked-choice ballot at one of 37 voting locations on May 8.

Cia Price endorses Sam Rasoul for lieutenant governor

Cia Price, a Democratic state Delegate that represents Newport News and Hampton in the General Assembly is endorsing her House colleague Del. Sam Rasoul as he seeks the Democratic nomination to run for governor.

“Sam is a man of integrity that has demonstrated a better side of politics. By focusing on people and policy, Sam truly has been a voice of courage and conviction in the General Assembly,” said Price. "He has put in the work and would do an amazing job in higher office. His leadership, character, and vision are what we need in our next Lieutenant Governor."

"Delegate Price's vision and tenacity have earned the respect of her colleagues, the trust of her constituents, and the admiration of people across Virginia and beyond," said Rasoul. "I'm exceedingly lucky to call her a friend and enjoyed working with her in the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus. I look forward to continuing that work together as Lieutenant Governor.”

Gun violence prevention groups Giffords and Brady PAC announced their endorsement of Attorney General Mark R. Herring’s re-election campaign.

"Since getting elected in 2013, Mark Herring has been steadfast in his commitment to end gun violence and I'm proud to support him for a third term as Attorney General," said former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. "Mark is a proven leader that has taken on the NRA, closed gun loopholes, and sponsored commonsense background check legislation in the General Assembly. I know Mark will always be a champion for us in our fight to end Gun Violence."

"It is with great enthusiasm that I extend my endorsement to Mark Herring for Attorney General," said Executive Director of Brady PAC Brian Lemek. "As a lifelong gun violence prevention advocate, I have never encountered a public servant more committed to ensuring the safety and welfare of the citizens in the commonwealth."

“I couldn't be more proud to receive an endorsement from these incredible gun violence prevention organizations that have always led the fight for safer communities across the country," said Attorney General Mark Herring. "Given the senseless gun-related tragedies that we've personally experienced in the commonwealth, it is incumbent on all of us to fight for common sense gun safety legislation that will keep our communities safe. I'm excited about what we can accomplish together over the next four years.”

Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Jennifer Carroll Foy Releases Plan to Strengthen Early Childhood Education and Child Care

“I’m a mom to twin three-year olds, so affording child care isn’t just something I talk about –– it’s something I think about and have to budget for every single day. Working parents like myself know affordable, high quality child care and early childhood education are critical for our children and our Commonwealth’s success,” Carroll Foy said. “As Governor, I will fight to make the investments our children deserve –– from raising the quality of our early childhood education programs to ensuring working families can afford the childcare essential for parents looking to balance bringing home a paycheck and raising a family. Under a Carroll Foy administration, every parent and every child will have an equal shot at real opportunity.”

Key highlights of her plan include:

Implement full-day preschool for at-risk three- and four-year-olds by expanding Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) eligibility criteria to include three year olds, while investing more VPI funding per pupil.
Expand the Working Families Earned Income Tax Credit to provide working families with an income boost to help pay for costs like child care.
Ensure dedicated funding streams from the Commonwealth to provide reliable resources for early childhood education programs.
Promote mixed delivery strategies to allow community-based and private programs to access state funding.
Increase teacher pay for early childhood educators, so we can recruit, train, and retain excellent teachers for our children.
Develop and execute a statewide assessment to ensure high-quality instruction.
Establish a task force to develop a plan to improve access to and the affordability of child care so that cost is not a barrier to working families.
Promote strategies to strengthen and support the child care industry through background check portability and the use of subsidy contracts.
Increase the value and reach of child care subsidies.
Enact a Quality Rating Improvement System to create a pathway for uniform and high-quality outcomes across Virginia.

Read full plan

Jennifer Carroll Foy Joins MSNBC

Delegate Hala Ayala’s Statement on Delegate Elizabeth Guzman’s Decision to Withdraw From the Lieutenant Governor Race

“I’d like to thank my colleague Delegate Guzman for running a strong campaign focused on real issues that matter to Virginians,” said Delegate Ayala. “We need more women at the table, and Delegate Guzman’s voice has been an important one throughout this primary. I know firsthand the challenges and barriers that women of color face when running for office, and I am so grateful for her work to empower diverse leaders across our Commonwealth.”

ICYMI: Guzman drops out of the lieutenant governor race. Read her full statement

Youngkin Visits Voters In Harrisonburg Campaign Stop

by Jessica Wetzler

With 21 days before the Republican convention, Glenn Youngkin, a candidate in the contest for November’s gubernatorial race, met with voters at El Charro on Friday.

The event came a day after one of Youngkin’s opponents, Pete Snyder, held a similar event outside Bridgewater on Thursday.

This pro-Trump Latino wants to lead Virginia - Politico

“There is not a uniqueness in my immigrant story.” Says the man from Chihuahua, Mexico. He served 30 years in the U.S. Army, rose to the rank of colonel and most recently was appointed by the former president to serve in a high-ranking post in the Defense Department.

Now, de la Peña, 65, who never sought elective office before, is using his life story to connect with voters as he seeks to become Virginia’s first ever Latino governor.

This widow kept better records than the Virginia Parole Board. Her family thinks it stopped a killer from going free. - Richmond Times-Dispatch

by Patrick Wilson

When she’s doing anything, like driving around town or alone with her thoughts, Judy Smith thinks of the night she saw her husband die.

They drove through a particular neighborhood in Lynchburg the day of his death and stopped at a drugstore. She thinks of it every time she drives through that neighborhood. Same goes for a gas station near Danville. Every time the family drives by, they think of stopping there with Clifford Smith on the last day of his life.

‘You’re being used as a political tool’: Recording details Northam officials’ grilling of watchdog agency - Virginia Mercury

by Graham Moomaw

When top aides to Gov. Ralph Northam sat down last summer to meet with the state inspector general, whose office had just issued a critical watchdog report on the Virginia Parole Board, Northam Chief of Staff Clark Mercer opened by saying he wanted to hear what was being done to prevent future reports from “getting forwarded to the Associated Press again.”

Republican General Assembly leaders had just given media outlets an unredacted copy of a report accusing the Parole Board of mishandling the release of Vincent Martin, who was convicted of the 1979 killing of a Richmond police officer but won praise as a model inmate. Before that, the inspector general had only released an unreadable version with virtually every sentence blacked-out, citing an interpretation of confidentiality laws disputed by open-government advocates.

Black soldier mistreatment common even before Virginia case - Associated Press

By BEN FINLEY and TOM FOREMAN Jr.

The police officers’ guns were trained on the uniformed U.S. Army lieutenant, his arms raised and palms outstretched as he sat in his SUV under a brightly lit gas station awning.

Lt. Caron Nazario had been pulled over in rural Virginia by the two officers, who repeatedly demanded that he step out of the vehicle. Nazario, who is Black and Latino, didn’t move and continually asked, “What’s going on?”

Virginia Political Newsletter

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