Bluefield citizens can apply now for absentee ballots
bluefield – Voters who could be away when the city of Bluefield has its municipal election on June 3 can now apply for absentee ballots months in advance.
The city announced Thursday in a legal advertisement in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph that absentee voting applications will be accepted for the June 3, 2025 municipal election for Districts I, II and III positions on the Bluefield Board of Directors.
Absentee ballot applications will be accepted starting March 3 through May 28, according to the legal advertisement.
City residents wanting to vote absentee in the June 3 election can request an absentee ballot by filing an application form. The applications can be obtained by calling 304-327-2401 Extension 2407, by email at aheltzel@bluewv.org or in person at Bluefield City Hall.
'The absentee ballot posting that we have is for anybody who knows they're not going to be present on the election day which is June 3 of this year,' said Anthony Heltzel, city clerk, human resources director and assistant city attorney. 'They can go ahead and send in a request for an absentee ballot.'
June 3 ballots have not been created yet, but being able to apply for an absentee ballot now lets city voters who may be away that day have a chance to prepare weeks in advance.
'Absentee ballots will be mailed out starting April 18. We don't have any of the ballots ready yet,' Heltzel said. 'These are just people who are wanting to apply because you can only vote in an absentee ballot if you meet the qualifications based on West Virginia Code. What we're doing is just making sure everybody knows that they can go ahead and get in their requests in now if they know they'll be unavailable to vote personally.'
There is a deadline for applying.
'All applications have to be in by May 28, postmarked by May 28 end of day,' Heltzel said. 'You can't request an absentee ballot after that.'
Candidates for the June 3 city election have not yet been announced.
Contact Greg Jordan at
gjordan@bdtonline.com
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