Stafford chooses airport, nixes private lease plan for new voter registration office

The Stafford County Board of Supervisors voted 6-1 to deny a $665,000, 5-year lease for a new voter registrar space.

Aquia District Supervisor Cindy Shelton was the opposing vote.

The option in question was a 9,000 square foot space at 25 Centreport Parkway that is owned by former Aquia Supervisor Paul Milde.

The biggest expenditure would be the cost of finishing the interior space which according to the County’s findings would be an extra $275-300,000, nearly half of the lease cost.

In a post on Facebook, former Rock Hill Supervisor Wendy Maurer commented on the potential issues that would have come up in accepting a lease at 25 Centreport Parkway for a building owned by a former member of the County Board of Supervisors.

“Every year there are accusations of ballot tampering and unfair election practices. And now Stafford is considering housing its election offices in a building owned by a former candidate and political activist/donor. As a former commercial real estate agent, I can tell you that landlords ALWAYS retain the right to enter leased space within their buildings for emergency purposes. It’s logical,” Maurer said.

In light of economic uncertainty from the coronavirus, county staff recommended that the Board of Supervisors deny the lease and move forward with using an office space Stafford Airport as a temporary space to house the voter registrar, at no charge.

George Washington Supervisor Tom Coen reiterated his support in using the Airport as a temporary solution to the space issue.

“The airport would have the taxpayers money and allow time to find a long term solution,” Coen said.

A different location will be needed long-term, and Coen has indicated it could be set up in Downtown Stafford if that project is completed.

Staff also considered using the vacated Moncure Elementary School for the registrar. A staff-conducted visit of the site concluded that its location and poor condition don’t make it an ideal space.

The Stafford County Board of Supervisors has been looking for extra space for the registrar’s office in order to deal with possible increased absentee voting after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed new legislation into law that allows voters the option of casting an absentee vote up to 45 days prior to the election, without having a reason.

Northam also signed into law Prince William County Delegate Hyla Ayala’s bill that allows same-day voter registration on Election Day.

Stafford County General Registrar Anna Hash told county leaders that her current office inside the county’s government center, located at 1300 Courthouse Road, is too small to accommodate what will likely be a crush of voters casting ballots ahead of Election Day.

About 10 percent of voters are expected to choose the early voting option, which should total about 7,900 votes.