Election districts shift, new polling places created in Stafford: A breakdown of the changes for the upcoming election

Some voting precincts in Stafford County have changed, and some new ones created.

At the March 15, 2022, Board of Supervisors meeting, the Board adopted voted to create new election district boundaries, voting precincts, and polling locations. 

After a public hearing, Supervisors voted to enact changes in six of the county’s seven election districts. The Garrisonville District, in the northern portion of the county, will remain the same. 

Ten new polling locations were also established to accommodate the change in Stafford’s population, and each election district got at least one new precinct.

Significant changes include:

• All of Quantico is now in Griffis-Widewater
• The Rock Hill boundary moved south to Poplar Road
• All of Aquia Harbour in Aquia District rather than split with Griffis-Widewater
• The Falmouth boundary moves north towards Courthouse Road
• The George Washington boundary extends to Celebrate Virginia, and Hartwood is now entirely on the west side of I-95
• The Garrisonville boundary is unchanged

New precincts include:

• Hartwood District: 104 – Westlake at Richland Baptist, 106 – Forge at Colonial Forge High School
• Rock Hill District: 203 – Polling location was changed from AG Wright Middle School to Rock Hill Baptist Church, 205 – Mount Ararat at Mount Ararat Church
• Griffis-Widewater District: 304 – Precinct name was changed from North Aquia to Aquia Episcopal where the polling location is located, 305 – Griffis at Kate Waller-Barrett Elementary, 306 – Midway at Shirley Heim Middle School
• Aquia District: 403 – Harbour at Harbour Country Club (existing polling location that moved to the Aquia District from Griffis-Widewater), 405 – Hope at Stafford Elementary School
• Falmouth District: 505 – Eskimo Hill at the Rowser Building
• George Washington District: 605 – Melchers at the Melchers Complex
• Garrisonville District: 701 – Precinct name was changed from Woodlands to Park Ridge, 704 – Poole at H.H. Poole Middle School

When local redistricting is complete, every registered voter will receive a new voter’s registration card with their polling location included. To review a presentation on redistricting, visit this link or www.staffordcountyva.gov/redistricting for this link and additional information. 

The Supervisors’ vote was one of the final steps in a months-long process required by Virginia state law and dependent on the 2020 U.S. Census results and publication. 

Voters will head to the polls again in November for U.S. Congressional elections, also known as the midterms. Voters will choose representatives for the U.S. House of Representatives. 

As of December 2021, Stafford County is now in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District. The district also includes a portion of eastern Prince William County, Fredericksburg City, and points west to Culpeper.

No matter the outcome of the November 2022 Election, come January 2023, Rep. Rob Wittman (R) will no longer represent Stafford County. The boundaries of Virginia’s 1st Congressional District, which Wittman has represented since 2007, shifted to the southeast. 

Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D) is running to keep the 7th District seat. Many Republican candidates, including Stafford County Board of Supervisors Chair Crystal Vanuch, are mounting campaigns for the seat. 

Voters will choose a Republican candidate to faceoff against Spanberger in June. 

On the state level, the courts will soon decide if members of the Virginia House of Delegates will also need to run in a November 2022 General Election due to Demceber’s redistricting. In November 2021, voters chose the current slate of House of Delegates members, who typically are elected every two years.  

The Stafford County Government says its Board of Supervisors and Community Engagement team will be working with the Voter Registrar’s office to enhance voter education and understanding of changes for this upcoming election cycle.