In Virginia, county and city treasurers are elected for four-year terms and serve as chiefs of taxation. Henry B. Wash is the only certified candidate running for the office of Treasurer of Louisa County.
Wash is the incumbent, first elected in 2011. He is seeking his fourth term.
Charlottesville Tomorrow designed a questionnaire based on more than 200 responses we received to a voter survey. Wash responded by email.
Can you explain what the job of the treasurer is and what you have learned about the role in over a decade of service?
Henry B. Wash: The treasurer is the chief financial officer for their locality, collecting taxes and local fees, and making payments on behalf of the local government. The treasurer is responsible for every form of revenue which comes to the locality: real estate and personal property taxes, license taxes, state income taxes, court, sheriff and clerk fees. The treasurer manages the investment of local funds and maintains records of local finances.
The main thing I’ve learned as treasurer is that you are truly here to serve the taxpayers and help them to meet their obligations to their locality.
There are very few contested races for treasurer in central Virginia. Why don’t you think more people run for these roles?
I believe that the elected treasures in Virginia are of high standards supported by the Treasurer’s Association of Virginia. People realize that there is not a need for change.
Do you have any certifications or qualifications for this position that you want voters to know about?
The main qualification I have achieved is the Master Governmental Treasurer Certification from the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, Virginia Institute of Government, from the University of Virginia.
More about the candidate for treasurer
- Wash’s campaign contributions, from the Virginia Public Access Project
- A report in the Central Virginian about Wash’s campaign
- A 2018 report about Wash’s efforts to seek unpaid taxes from businesses, for subscribers to the Daily Progress
- A 2013 report about Wash’s efforts to collect back taxes, including from a school board member, from the Richmond Times-Dispatch via the Daily Progress, for its subscribers
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.
