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May 19 Becomes Test of 'Distance Voting'

A survey of 15 cities and towns holding municipal elections later this month found a surge in balloting by mail, as voters seek to avoid risk of Election Day infection at crowded polling stations.

Absentee Turnout (As a percentage of Registered Voters)

  May 2016   May 2020 (so far)

Methodology: VPAP conducted a telephone survey of voting officials handling mayoral and council elections in a representative sample of the 115 localities holding elections on May 19. Election officials provided the number of absentee ballots that had been received by May 5 or May 6. Officials indicated that nearly every voter had mailed in a ballot instead of appearing in person at a city or town office. VPAP calculated the 2020 "Absentee Turnout" in each locality by dividing the number of absentee ballots received so far by the total number of registered voters in each locality. The 2016 absentee turnout was determined by the percentage of total registered voters who cast ballots in a town or city's central absentee precinct.
Source: Virginia Department of Elections and VPAP research
May 6, 2020