"Robust" Early Voting Turnout So Far in the April 21 Referendum
About midway through early voting, turnout is exceeding last year's governor's election in some area localities.
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
Email Adele
Early voting turnout in the April 21 redistricting referendum so far is exceeding that in the November 2025 gubernatorial election both in some Fredericksburg area localities and statewide.
As of March 27, after three weeks of early voting, 6,615 in-person votes and 7,148 mail-in votes have been cast in Spotsylvania, according to General Registrar Kellie Acors. That’s compared to 6,236 in-person and 7,368 mail-in votes cast three weeks before the November 2025 General Election.
Early voting in Caroline (2,419 vs. 2,237) and King George counties (2,182 vs. 1,950) is also exceeding the November 2025 election, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.
Statewide, 498,925 cumulative early ballots had been cast, with 26 days to go before the April 21 special election. At this point in 2025, 481,206 votes had been cast.
The 2025 election saw the highest voter turnout in a nonpresidential election in state history.
“We’ve been remaining busy in the office with early voters and prep—reviewing and adjusting our numbers to make sure every precinct is fully stocked with ballots for Election Day,” Acors said in an email to the Advance.
Early voting in Stafford, though not exceeding last year, is “tracking pretty closely with November 2025 numbers,” said Anna Hash, the county’s general registrar. Voters in Stafford have cast 5,336 early in-person ballots and 3,233 mail-in ballots so far, as compared to 5,762 in-person and 3,156 mail-in ballots at this point in 2025.
In Fredericksburg, early voting in the referendum has also been “more robust than expected,” according to General Registrar Jessica Atkinson. City residents have cast 1,173 in-person early votes so far, as compared to 1,237 in November.
Democrat Abigail Spanberger won the November 2025 governor’s race in all Fredericksburg-area localities except for King George, where Republican Winsome Earle-Sears won 59.3% of the vote.
Spanberger won 50.1% of the vote in Caroline; 51.4% in Spotsylvania; 56% in Stafford; and 72% in Fredericksburg.
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