This Day in Henrico History: Oct. 5 – Henrico voter registration climbs ahead of 2020 election

On Oct. 5, 2020, Henrico County entered the final month before the presidential election with a voter-registration total 4.5% higher than it had been a year earlier, according to data reported by the Henrico Citizen.

The increase came during an unusual election season shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic and a major expansion of absentee and early voting in Virginia. The 2020 election was the first presidential contest conducted after Virginia eliminated the requirement that voters provide a specific excuse to cast an absentee ballot, allowing any registered voter to vote early in person or by mail.

For Henrico, the growth in registrations was another sign of the county’s rapidly changing electorate. The county had been experiencing population growth and political change for years, and the unusually high-interest 2020 election accelerated voter participation throughout the Richmond region.

The Oct. 5 snapshot captured Henrico at a pivotal point: registration was still open ahead of Election Day, while thousands of county residents already were using Virginia’s newly expanded early-voting options.

Source: Henrico Citizen