CHESAPEAKE, Va. — This voting season will look slightly different for some people, possibly making early voting a little inconvenient.
This information follows the Chesapeake City Council meeting Tuesday night where it was decided that instead of having six satellite locations for this year, election there will only be four satellite locations.
The NAACP says the lack of locations will have an impact on voters living in parts of the city's predominately Black, lower-income communities.
Dr. Shirley Auguste with the Chesapeake branch of the NAACP said those living close to the Greenbrier Library and the Cuffee Community Center, which will be closed this year, will need to find another location.
Those living near the Camelot Community Center will need to travel to the Major Hillard Library, which according to Google Maps is a mile and a half away from Camelot Community Center and a 41-minute walk as well.
Auguste said it will create an inconvenience for black voters who will feel the impact.
"You have communities where people are accustomed to walking even sometimes riding their cart, their medical cart, and some people have to wait on others to bring them to those localities and so forth. Easy access is no longer easy access," said Dr. Auguste.
According to the Chesapeake Registrar's Office, in 2021 two percent of early voters voted at the Cuffee Community Center.
In 2022, only one percent participated in early voting at that location, though the NAACP says that one percent may relate to more people than some people realize.
"Percentages can be skewed percentages...you have to ask what is the ratio," says Auguste.
The Chesapeake Registrar's Office said the reasoning behind having four satellite locations is related to preventing a lack of resources.
Mary-Lynn Pinkerman, the director of elections and general registrar, says the reason for more locations previously was pandemic-related.
"We had three of them within six to seven miles of each other," Pinkerman said.
This is also why historical Sunday voting won't be happening either during this election season. Pinkerman said it was made available at the registrar's office and wasn't feasible in the end.
"We tried it one time. We were told there were busloads of voters coming. We were ready, had a lot of workers here and ready, and we only had 160 turnout. It's just not something needed in Chesapeake," says Pinkerman.
The Chesapeake Registrar's Office said early voting starting September 22 will make up for the removal and relocation of satellite locations.
