In a recent government meeting, significant discussions emerged regarding the handling of absentee ballot drop boxes in Lynchburg, Virginia, particularly in light of statements made by local political figures. The Lynchburg Republican City Committee and Peter Alexander, a city council candidate, faced scrutiny for claims suggesting that the previous Democrat-led electoral board permitted ballot box manipulation and violated state law by allowing ballots to be collected until the Friday following the election.

However, both the chair of the electoral board and the registrar have refuted these allegations, stating that there is no evidence to support the claims made in the Facebook posts from June 22. They emphasized that the Republican committee and Alexander could have verified the facts before making their statements. The electoral board has called for retractions and apologies from both parties to the current and former board members, regardless of their political affiliation.

In a separate development, city council member Jeff Helgeson announced his withdrawal from the reelection race, a decision he claims to have contemplated for over a year. The Republican committee has since selected a new candidate, a move permitted by law. However, concerns were raised about the timing of Helgeson's announcement, which came just days before the September 6 deadline for independent candidates to file necessary paperwork. Critics argue that an earlier announcement could have allowed for more candidates to enter the race, potentially altering the electoral landscape.