[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6476440,"mediaKeyId","5730003-fb9544d5db80ac0ed9e2d93a97e697b5","parentId",5730003,"title","Registrar outlines ballot order, early-voting schedule and officer-approval changes ahead of November election","audioSeconds",2250,"startMs",1889000,"endMs",4139000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5730003-fb9544d5db80ac0ed9e2d93a97e697b5&start=1889&end=4139","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5730003-fb9544d5db80ac0ed9e2d93a97e697b5/thumbnail_1889000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6476440/Virginia/Registrar-outlines-ballot-order-early-voting-schedule-and-officer-approval-changes-ahead-of-November-election","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6476440-1fa35695d52d4517fdc9683562cf9705/orig.mp4?Expires=1770542204&Signature=NsWLV-Ssr6TUPTRYsfvsNqE81L9VMXB-e0o2VpsXeT9tcpNWe-0knB5ZaJ5arQYa25NmbokQqvLXNpaETis8TmxmZXHv~x1kB5Df-dKmpryywvHVrDCuM0jvzcUzdA2yN-X~XHEYLEQLkrK08EN-TwSyoZNR9EPOrdPLp2FZPEvgWLeVtPW~DmplveGcxatfssPk56DHQqG2BblSXpV1qiKHlXnRz0Z0Dtj0xByVkmAZoAv90aZ2ZDtx0h-oFHtNoLAtsU7e6TAaEOUl-3DiJv7rHaRK~3Y3FE8mQ0hD6FevHt75tUKsXOEIrf5-yZLKfKYS9lHpF1d9Yfys10i0NA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Harrisonburg","date","2025-09-08T00:00:00Z","article","Harrisonburg’s general registrar presented detailed preparations for the Nov. 5 general election at the Sept. 8 Electoral Board meeting, reporting a ballot order of 26,195 and plans to mail roughly 800 absentee ballots by Sept. 18 and to begin early voting on Sept. 19.

“I have placed the November ballot order with PrintElect for 26,195 ballots total,” the registrar said, listing 800 absentee backup ballots and 24,300 election-day ballots while noting that print-on-demand ballots used during early voting are separate from that total.

Why it matters: The figures and schedules set by the registrar determine staffing, printing needs and logistics ahead of the governor’s and other high-turnout races. The office also outlined procedural changes intended to reduce legal risk when appointing officers of election and to speed onboarding.

Key operational points

- Absentee and ballots: The registrar said mailed absentee ballots and UOCAVA (overseas and military) ballots will go out on or before Sept. 18; absentee ballot processing and the first cap preprocessing are scheduled to begin Oct. 28.

- Early voting and staffing: Early voting will begin Sept. 19; the office plans three officers per shift for most days and four per shift during the final week of early voting to support same-day registration. Training for early-voting officers is scheduled for Sept. 16.

- Ballot-order rationale: The registrar said the office uses the registered-voter count at the time of the ballot order, subtracts known mail ballots and backup ballots, and generally orders a total equal to 100% of registered voters for high-turnout races.

- Officer approval process and paper trail: To avoid later disputes, the office proposed emailing party chairs a standard notice when new officer-of-election applicants appear; party chairs will be asked to respond by a deadline, and the absence of a response will be treated as no objection. “If we do not receive a response from you by this date, we will assume that you do not have an objection to this person representing your party,” the registrar said. The board agreed to test the process to speed onboarding and to create a documented record for later reference.

- Tabulator upgrade presentation: The office invited Tyler Links of PearlEx (tabulator vendor) to present upgrade options, with the board tentatively planning a presentation around Oct. 20.

- ADA compliance and site fixes: The registrar reviewed site-specific ADA remedies for polling places (Semmes, Stone Spring, Smithland, JMU, Waterman, Keister and Thomas Harrison); the board authorized completing and submitting the state’s ADA certification once the signatory (board member Sanders) and staff finalize the checklist.

- Election-day pages and outreach: The registrar and staff reported outreach to James Madison University’s democracy fellows and the JMU block party; they plan a pilot “election-day page” program with Harrisonburg City Public Schools to recruit under-18 volunteers for limited non-ballot duties on election day. The registrar said outreach has generated increased paper registration applications and interest from community groups and campus partners.

- Secure Virginia tabletop and security policies: The registrar participated in a state election-preparedness tabletop (Secure Virginia 2025) that included federal and state partners; the office will incorporate takeaways into local security planning and submitted a state-requested security letter in the format the Department of Elections now requires.

Ending: The board set forthcoming calendar items — L&A (logic and accuracy) on Oct. 20 at 1 p.m., early-voting start Sept. 19, and potential post-election canvass meetings in early November — and agreed to the registrar’s procedural updates and outreach plans. Routine meeting motions to approve the agenda and minutes and to adjourn were taken by voice vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Harrisonburg - Electoral Board on 2025-09-08 9:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","The Harrisonburg registrar reported a 26,195-ballot order, absentee-mail plans, early-voting schedules and procedural changes for approving officers of election; staff also described outreach to JMU students, an election-day page pilot and required ADA fixes.","taxTitle","Harrisonburg (Independent City), Virginia","taxId",9561,"location","Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6476445,"Harrisonburg electoral board presses for pay parity; registrar urges separate budget line",1190,144000,1334000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5730003-fb9544d5db80ac0ed9e2d93a97e697b5&start=144&end=1334","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5730003-fb9544d5db80ac0ed9e2d93a97e697b5/thumbnail_144000.jpg","/articles/6476445/Virginia/Harrisonburg-electoral-board-presses-for-pay-parity-registrar-urges-separate-budget-line","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6476445-54a317b8a08c516cb0d53e78fc8ce51d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770542204&Signature=SUNaWzlKD4yD~sVUzOG7q8NOjdQZkEkQUxVj0ljuu2gc66uWJZWdsyL1haX5UFM89wvePBtYDZFc0yp8bIYf7sXeXrcFUYPkVGC81ViLRVPII7YJPTDPWPEkw-r-0LBewHB7z5ix13Kmpf3oXOfdZ6hSFNj3uPgXkw4K9xADstHhwA-EaYsHEpWctFrmj5vJDaSiXiqcw2u41hjBwT-B61YmS8O8wNOq13vUnYtGYiv1oughBL4TYyA1RrXTewC4KPmrITbJzxgl4ZOrByKLXQXD11njjIRxOYfYQFEHLC5T9PJm4FEmf7u811kNmskAe6JFyaEr3iDdNomnCQPT9A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Harrisonburg City Electoral Board member Ramona Sanders pressed the board’s funding case on Sept. 8, calling for pay parity with precinct chiefs and urging the locality to add electoral-board compensation to the city budget. “The lowest hanging fruit, in my opinion, is equalizing the election-day pay for us with the pay of what the chiefs get, which is $300 a day,” Sanders said.

The board’s registrar, identified in the meeting only as Mark, said he had forwarded the board’s request to include higher pay into his budget submission but emphasized that actual compensation for electoral-board members is set by state law. “I did send your request into my budget that I submitted to Mister Probst, but just because I submitted it doesn’t mean it would be approved or added,” Mark said. He added that he must avoid unilateral financial decisions that could place him at legal risk.

Why it matters: Board members said their duties and hours warrant higher pay; the registrar and board must navigate a mix of state compensation rules and city-level budget processes to change how electoral-board members are paid.

The meeting included repeated discussion of state authority over member compensation and how local supplements are handled. Sanders cited recent increases for chiefs — “it was $280 last year that you paid the chiefs and you put in a raise for them up to $300” — and urged the electoral board to secure parity. The registrar responded that statute and Department of Elections guidance determine the routine compensation and that local supplementation is limited by the specific language of state code. In the meeting the text of the compensation provision was read aloud and discussed as a limitation on the city’s ability to unilaterally supplement electoral-board pay.

Because the legal framework is not uniform across positions, the registrar recommended a procedural change to separate the board’s discretionary items (training, travel and any locally funded supplements) into their own line item in the city budget. “What I’m going to recommend going forward… I would like to separate out you all’s compensation, your training and travel, and any sort of other requests for compensation into a separate budget solely for the electoral board,” the registrar said, explaining he wants to remove himself from decisions that could create a conflict of interest when board members request additional funds.

Board members supported pursuing both state and local channels. Sanders said she has already contacted state legislators and urged others to press their representatives. The registrar said the Department of Elections supplies compensation letters and that occasional corrections from the state have caused confusion; he recommended that the board pursue legislative remedies and also work with the city manager’s office to create a distinct budget line that would track electoral-board expenses year to year.

The meeting produced no formal change in compensation. The registrar said he will discuss the separate-line proposal with City Manager Probst and Finance Director Banks and return with a concrete procedural recommendation. Board members were urged to continue advocacy with state legislators for any statutory change.

Ending: The board did not vote to change pay at the meeting. The discussion closed with the registrar’s pledge to consult with city staff on establishing a separate, itemized electoral-board budget request for future budget cycles.","At a Sept. 8 Harrisonburg City Electoral Board meeting, members pressed for pay equal to precinct chiefs and urged the city to add an electoral-board budget line; the city registrar said state law fixes member pay and recommended the board submit a separate budget request for training and travel.","actionData","errors"]

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Registrar outlines ballot order, early-voting schedule and officer-approval changes ahead of November election

Harrisonburg electoral board presses for pay parity; registrar urges separate budget line