In Virginia, town councils are elected city leaders charged with overseeing a local town government. They have the power to set tax rates, make zoning decisions, oversee local emergency services, and much more.
The Town of Dillwyn has six Council members elected to two-year terms and a separately elected mayor. There are six open Council seats this year, and three certified candidates are running for them: Gilbert W. Reams, Janel B. Venable and Sharon J. Baker. All three are current Council members.
Because there are not enough certified candidates to fill the open positions, voters will have the option to write in three additional names on their ballots, and the three with the most write-in votes will be asked to join the Council (assuming they are legally qualified to serve). But if there are not enough qualified write-in winners, the mayor will make appointments, according to current mayor Linda V. Paige.
Charlottesville Tomorrow designed a questionnaire for the Dillwyn Town Council candidates based on more than 200 responses we received to a voter survey. The candidates did not return answers.
More about the Dillwyn Town Council
- Voter Guide: Karen Frable-Moss is running unopposed for mayor of Dillwyn
- A 2017 report in the Daily Progress about Dillwyn Town Council candidates all missing the deadline to register
- A 2017 report in the Daily Progress about candidates winning through write-in votes, with 244 registered voters
As you get ready to vote, here are some key dates and links from the Virginia Department of Elections:
Polls in Virginia close at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, night. The Virginia Department of Elections will publish election results in real time, as they arrive from precincts around the state. To view them, head to this link. These are unofficial results until they are certified. Here’s more about how to get election results.
- Sept. 22: First day of in-person early voting at your local registrar’s office.
- Oct. 16: Deadline to register to vote, or update an existing registration. You can also register after this date, and on election day, but you will vote with a provisional ballot, could take longer for officials to count because they will verify your eligibility.
- Oct. 27: Deadline to apply for a ballot to be mailed to you. Your request must be received by your local registrar by 5:00 p.m.
- Oct. 28: Voter registration offices open for early voting.
- Nov. 4: The last day of in-person early voting at your registrar.
- Nov. 7: Election Day. Here is where you can find your polling place.
Need to know if you’re eligible to vote? Here are resources from the Virginia Department of Elections.
