NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — With 99 days until the presidential election, voter registration is ramping up.
The City of Norfolk’s Office of Elections has reported a steady uptick in residents registering to vote, with voters having a lot more enthusiasm, as it’s shaping up to be an historical election.
“In the past week we’ve had a lot of interest getting ready for the presidential election coming up in November,” said Stephanie Iles, Norfolk’s director of elections and general registrar.
That interest has coincided with a fast-approaching election day.
“We’ve got 99 days until election day, so it’s not a lot of time,” said Dr. Benjamin Melusky, Old Dominion University associate professor of political science.
With a lot on the line, one of the most important things any voter could do is to be sure they’re properly registered.
“Go to the Department of Elections website to check their voter registration status, update their information if they got married, if their names changed, address changed or moved recently, or if they want to request an absentee ballot,” Iles said.
According to the Virginia Department of Elections, voter registration is up by more than 35%. Political experts urge people to make an informed vote.
“Keep watching the various campaign appearances, keep watching the polls as more and more come out, and get ready for a Democratic National Convention, frankly, that we haven’t seen in a very very long time,” Melusky said.
Iles urges people to “exercise your right to vote.”
“We are very much proponents of that,” Iles said. “We’ve had elections here in Norfolk where its been decided by a handful of votes.”
In Norfolk, Iles said voters are voting on much more than just the president. She noted Norfolk voters will be voting for mayor, city council and school board seats. There is also a proposed state constitutional amendment on the Nov. 5 ballot.
These next 99 days come with some big deadlines, as early voting begins Sept. 20. The deadline to register to vote is Tuesday, Oct. 15 — 5 p.m. if registering in person and 11:59 p.m. if registering online. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is 5 p.m. Oct. 25.
Plus, there are big decisions remaining for both major parties, as Democratic presumptive candidate Kamala Harris faces off against Republican and former President Donald Trump.
“We’ll go into the convention with a VP pick and a strong convention, laying out the platform,” Melusky said.
You can find more voter registration information by clicking here.