By Cecilia Roberts
Rockbridge County is looking at consolidating the number of voting precincts as part of a plan that would move some polling locations from churches and fire departments to schools.
The Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 in a meeting last month to advertise an ordinance that would reduce the number of voting precincts from 17 to 13. The ordinance is currently in a 45-day public comment period that runs through March 13, ending with a public hearing. The Board of Supervisors expects to vote on the plan 30 days after the public comment period closes.
By consolidating precincts, which would change polling locations, the Electoral Board is expecting increased accessibility for voters and lower election costs.
The plan includes moving polling locations from churches to Rockbridge County schools to better comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act as the school buildings already meet ADA standards. The Rockbridge County school board has approved a preliminary academic calendar change to make election day a teacher workday so students would not be in schools while voting takes place.
“Many of our older students work the polls, so they’re not missing school or having to take time off to work,” said Randy Walters, the chief operations officer for Rockbridge County schools. “It’s a win-win.”
Rural voters may travel farther distances on election day
Rockbridge County Administrator Spencer Suter said moving around polling locations would require some voters to travel farther to vote than before. For example, if the Rockbridge Baths and Rockbridge precincts are combined, their proposed polling location at the Fairfield Rescue Squad building is technically located outside of the precinct in Fairfield.
However, the number of people who vote early reduces concerns over increased travel time on election days, according to county officials.
Fifty percent of voters come to Lexington to cast ballots during the 45-day early voting period, according to Sheila Hall, the county’s voter registrar. Other voters mail in absentee ballots.
There are around 17,222 registered voters in Rockbridge County, according to 2026 data from the Virginia Department of Elections. Less than a week before the 2024 presidential election, over a quarter of county voters had already voted early.
“When you live in a rural area like this, you’re going to have to travel to get to your precinct because we don’t have a lot of choices,” Hall said. “Everybody’s got to drive anywhere from eight to 10 miles.”
A local Democratic party leader said concerns about longer driving distances are lessened by the early voting.
“There is so much early voting going on,” said Rene Hasey, co-chair of LexRockBV Democrats. “That mitigates some of the concerns.”
For a member of a local Republican group, the amount of money saved by consolidating precincts takes precedence over worries of increased driving distances to the polls.
A money-saving move
“The cost savings override the little inconvenience it might be for voters to drive a few extra miles,” said Jan Lowry, a member of Rockbridge Area Republicans.
Eliminating the four precincts would save a total of $65,727, a figure that includes equipment, licensing and support costs, as well as the expense of training and travel for election officials, according to the electoral board’s proposal.
“We certainly support anything that can help with the tax bills here in the county,” Hasey said.
In order to consolidate, the airport and Ben Salem precincts would be combined in the Buffalo District and would use Maury River Middle School as a polling location instead of the Ben Salem Community and Lexington Baptist churches.
The Fairfield and Vesuvius precincts in the South River District would also combine and make Fairfield Elementary School the polling location instead of the South River Fire Department and the Vesuvius Community Center. The Mountain View Precinct would move polling locations from the Neriah Baptist Church to Mountain View Elementary.
The Board of Supervisors is tentatively set to vote on the plan April 12.