At least for the time being, a new executive order on election matters is unlikely to impact Arlington.
Virginia “already does” many of the things included in the executive order that President Donald Trump signed on March 25, county registrar Gretchen Reinemeyer said.
One difference is that the order would require that mail-in ballots for federal elections be received no later than Election Day to be counted. Current Virginia law allows mailed ballots to be accepted if they are in registrars’ hands by noon the Friday three days after Election Day.
In any case, there are no federal elections slated for 2025, and “the president cannot order the states to do anything with state elections,” Arlington Electoral Board chairman Dominick Schirippa said at the board’s Tuesday meeting.
That means it likely will be business as usual for the June 17 primary and Nov. 4 general elections.
But he hedged his bets just a bit. “We’ll see,” Schirripa said.
Like many edicts emanating from the White House since Jan. 20, the executive order is likely to be litigated extensively before its full impact will be known.
For now, local election officials are not expecting immediate impacts.
“It sounds as if there’s nothing that affects [the primary] election and probably the general election,” said Richard Samp, who like Schirripa is a Republican on the three-member Electoral Board.
Arlington election officials will abide by any directives handed down by the State Board of Elections in response to the executive order, Reinemeyer said.
“We have not received any official guidance, but they are aware and are planning,” she said.
Democratic Electoral Board member Kim Phillip asked staff to “just make sure we’re keeping our eyes and ears open” on the issue.
The only thing that might change the situation is a vacancy in the U.S. Senate or House of Representatives.
The Virginia constitution provides for a special election in a timely manner to cover an House vacancy, and an election the same year if there is a vacancy in the U.S. Senate, unless the vacancy occurs within 120 days of a general election. In that case, the election would be held the following November.
Voting locations within schools may change
Voters who cast ballots at Arlington elementary and middle schools may find their traditional voting locations switched for the June 17 primary elections.
Voting will remain in the same buildings, but may need to be moved within them to accommodate student-promotion ceremonies being held that day.
The impact should be minimal, Reinemeyer said.
“We don’t necessarily need the gym,” she said. “We can use the music room, the art room. Schools are big facilities.”
“We are coordinating with Arlington Public Schools — working with each school, each principal,” Reinemeyer said.
Electoral Board secretary Kim Phillip brought up the topic at the body’s meeting yesterday (Tuesday) after hearing community concerns.
“I just wanted to raise that so the public knows we’re aware of it,” she said.
A relatively low turnout is expected for the June 17 Democratic and Republican primaries, given both parties already have their nominees for governor.
“If this were a general election, we’d be a lot more concerned,” Reinemeyer said.
