Click to Enlarge

The group of citizens, including current Christiansburg Town Council member Henry Showalter and former councilman Steve Huppert, worked the Christiansburg polling places on Tuesday collecting 2,555 signatures.

In order to get a referendum on the November 2009 ballot, to have the elections changed, the group needed a petition with signatures from at least 10% of voters registered in the town as of Jan. 1. The group needed to collect around 1,300 valid signatures.

“I think this is a smart idea,” said one of the voters standing outside of the Christiansburg Recreation Center, as she signed the petition. “It can only help.”

The group’s next step is to have all the petitions notarized.

Click to Enlarge

November elections would provide a larger turnout for council elections. In the town’s May election, only 11.54 percent of the voters turned out. In addition, holding November elections would save the town money, as Christiansburg currently must pay to hold the spring election.

In last May’s Christiansburg town elections, only 1,527 of the town’s registered 13,228 voters cast a ballot. 

“Changing the election date will increase voter interest, reduce election costs and stimulate voter turn-out,” said Huppert.

Photos: (Top left) Christiansburg Town Councilman Henry Showalter collects signatures during Tuesday’s election outside of the Christiansburg Recreation center. (Right) A Christiansburg voter signs a petition to move Christiansburg town elections from May to November. (Photos by David Grimes)

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Name

Email

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (Registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Add Comment