For those that weren't aware, in-person absentee voting began today at registrars' offices (Needless to say, the electors for the Democratic Party's ticket for the Presidency and Vice Presidency of Barack Obama and Joe Biden, Mark Warner, and Jim Moran all got my vote.)
The laws regarding absentee voting are given by the Virginia SBE here. But, generally, any voter that reasonably believes she/he will be absent from their precinct on the day of voting due to travel, personal business, or work; any member of the armed forces (or spouse) or expatriate that will be absent from their precinct; any student that will be away at school; any person that cannot vote in person due to pregnancy, illness, or disability; any election poll worker; or any person that reasonably believes she/he will be out of their precinct due to work and commuting for more than 11 of the 13 hours that the polls are open may vote absentee, either in person or by mail.
These determinations are made by the voter, and registrars and elections administrators will not be second-guessing a voter's own judgment about why she/he qualifies to vote absentee. I highly recommend, as part of a coordinated field plan, that each precinct field team encourage all voters that believe that they are legally entitled to vote absentee to do so. Votes in the bag are votes that do not need to be worried about on election day.
Today, I helped put Barack Obama in the lead in Virginia. You can, too.
UPDATE: I incorrectly stated that in-person absentee voting is now occurring all over the Commonwealth. Each locality has its own discretion as to when in-person absentee voting begins. Please contact your local election board or registrars' office to determine when in-person absentee balloting is available to you, if you plan on voting in-person absentee. You can find your local election office (and other election information) at VoterInfo page of the Va SBE here. Sorry for the confusion.
Nancy, as my caregiver when I feel sick, gets to vote absentee too.
( Most likely I'll feel wonderful election day, which will be a feast of good news for the democrats)
I am already telling all my precinct to vote early. The anticipation of chaos election day should be reason enough to vote absentee.
I am thinking of running a 'vote absentee in person' party for my precinct some Saturday in October -- have all the absentee voters head down to the office together, and then grab some drinks at Murphy's or Pat Troy's or wherever. Some of the benefits of living in Old Town :)
It looks like the regulations are that in-person absentee voting starts at least 30 days before Election Day, although it varies from locality to locality.
Thus, Fairfax County started 9/19, the City of Alexandria on 9/22, PWC will start on 9/26, etc.
I'll edit the story to include this info. Thanks for the heads up, though.