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Vol. 35, No. 26 | Richmond Suburban News | October 31, 2018
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Absentee voting rising as Christmas Mother: Focus mid-term election nears will be on helping the kids By Melody Kinser Managing Editor
HANOVER COUNTY – With the eyes of the nation focused on the mid-term election, Hanover County is already seeing a spike in voting. Teresa F. “Teri” Smithson, director of Elections/General Registrar, said, “Hanover County now has 78,711 registered voters. We started absentee voting on Sept. 21, 2018, and have processed over 2,900 applications and we still have four days of absentee voting to go.” In comparison, she said, “The 2014 mid-term only saw a total of 1,632 absentee applications.” Between the hours of 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 6, voters will be determining who they want to represent them in the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. Those on the
ballot are: Senate – Corey A. Stewart, Republican; Timothy M. Kaine, Democrat; and Matt J. Waters. Libertarian. House 1st District – Robert J. “Rob” Wittman,
Republican; and Vangie A. Williams, Democrat. County voters also will decide the fate of two Proposed Constitutional Amendments (the choices are yes or no): Question 1 Should a county, city, or town be authorized to provide a partial tax exemption for real property that is subject to recurrent flooding, if flooding
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resiliency improvements have been made on the property? Question 2 Shall the real property tax exemption for a primary residence that is currently provided to the surviving spouses of veterans who had a one hundred percent service-connected, permanent, and total disability be amended to allow the surviving spouse to move to a different primary residence and still claim the exemption? Smithson’s office is always ready when election time rolls around. For next week’s election, she said, “We have been rockin’ ’n’ rollin’! I have spoken with directors of Elections from across the state and we all agree, this is the biggest absentee voting we have ever seen!” “More than 800 voters have come into our office to vote In-Person Absentee. Remember that Virginia doesn’t have early voting, we see VOTING, pg. 4
By Melody Kinser Managing ging Editor
D
OSWELL L – After years ssroom as a in the classroom or Hanover teacher for ublic County Public wingle – the Schools, Carolyn Swingle stmas Mother 2018 Hanover Christmas – “enjoyed working with the ocus” kids, and that’s the focus” of her new role. Last Wednesday, Carolyn joined with former Christmas Mothers for a reception announcing her selection at the Doswell home of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Flippo. The Doswell Ruritan Club spearojheads the annual projmas ect to bring Christmas joy to all Hanover County children.
“I’m just hoping that we can grow the program and help as many families and individuals a possible so that they can all have a good holiday season -- make their winter a little warmer,” Carolyn said. Among h her public responsibilities are taking part in the Christmas p parades in Ashland and Mechanicsvil and sharing the proMechanicsville gram at a churches and Ruritan meet meetings. “I’m really honored to serve in this capacit ity; I hope that we’ll just b be able to extend the p program and help even more people,” she said. Carolyn also said she was impressed with the operation the Doswell Ruritans have in place in packing, ffinding needs and deliveri for families. ering ““Now they’re up to three delive locations,” she said delivery see CHRISTMAS, pg. 4