Cardinal, Virginia Public Records

Those researching the history of a particular parcel or investigating local land use can find a wealth of information by consulting the resources available from this essential Mathews County department.

The Mathews County Economic Development Authority works closely with businesses and entrepreneurs to support the growth and prosperity of the local economy, ensuring Cardinal remains an attractive destination for both residents and visitors alike.

Public safety in Cardinal is primarily overseen by the Cardinal Police Department, which is committed to ensuring the security and well-being of the local community. The Cardinal Police Department can provide residents with access to records such as incident reports, arrest records, and criminal histories related to activities within the town's jurisdiction. For a more comprehensive view of law enforcement in the Mathews County region, the Mathews County Sheriff's Office also serves the area and maintains the county jail and detention facility. Individuals seeking information on arrests, mugshots, or booking records may need to contact both the Cardinal Police Department and the Mathews County Sheriff's Office to obtain the desired records.

Entrepreneurs and business owners can work directly with the Commissioner's staff to ensure compliance with local regulations and access the information needed to establish or expand their operations in this thriving Mathews County community.

Voters in Cardinal, Virginia are served by the Mathews County Office of Voter Registration and Elections, located at 10622 Buckley Hall Road (County Administration Building), Mathews, VA 23109, phone (804) 725-2865. The office is responsible for voter registration, maintaining voter rolls, administering elections, processing absentee ballots, and certifying election results for all county, state, and federal elections affecting Cardinal residents. Virginia offers online voter registration through the Virginia Department of Elections at https://www.elections.virginia.gov/registration/how-to-register/. Eligible Virginia residents must register at least 22 days before an election to vote in that election. To register, applicants must provide their Social Security number, date of birth, and current Virginia residential address; a driver's license or DMV-issued ID number is required if available. Virginia does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration, but applicants must affirm under penalty of perjury that they are U.S. citizens.

Cardinal has no municipal government and therefore does not hold city or town elections. Residents vote in Mathews County Board of Supervisors elections (the county's governing body), school board elections, state legislative races, statewide offices, and federal elections. The Mathews County Board of Supervisors consists of five members elected from single-member districts; Cardinal residents should contact the Elections Office at (804) 725-2865 to determine which supervisor district they reside in and when that seat is next up for election. Virginia holds elections for constitutional offices (Sheriff, Clerk of Circuit Court, Commissioner of the Revenue, Treasurer, Commonwealth's Attorney) on varying schedules, typically every four years.

Cardinal residents can find their assigned polling location by using the Virginia Department of Elections polling place lookup tool at https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation/PublicContactLookup or by contacting the Mathews County Elections Office. Mathews County typically operates three to four polling places countywide; Cardinal area residents generally vote at a polling location in the northeastern portion of the county, though district lines and assignments should be verified before each election. Virginia offers early voting (officially called "in-person absentee voting") beginning 45 days before an election at the county Elections Office in Mathews; no excuse is required. Absentee voting by mail is available to any registered voter in Virginia; applications can be submitted online at https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/ or by contacting the Mathews County Elections Office. The deadline to request a mailed absentee ballot is 11 days before the election; completed ballots must be received by 7:00 PM on Election Day (postmark is not sufficient).

In the November 2024 general election, Mathews County reported voter turnout of approximately 70-73% of registered voters, consistent with recent presidential election cycles in this conservative-leaning rural county. On November 3, 2026, Cardinal and Mathews County voters will participate in Virginia's midterm elections, which will include all 11 Virginia U.S. House seats (Cardinal is in Virginia's 1st Congressional District), all 100 Virginia House of Delegates seats, and all 40 Virginia State Senate seats (though only half are up in any given cycle; voters should verify if their district is up in 2026). There is no U.S. Senate race for Virginia in 2026 (next is 2026 for the Class II seat currently held by Mark Warner, but verification needed; Virginia's Senate seats are up in staggered years). No statewide offices (Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General) are on the ballot in 2026 as Virginia holds those races in odd-numbered years. County constitutional offices may appear on the ballot depending on term expirations; the Mathews County Elections Office can provide a sample ballot closer to the election date. Virginia makes election records extensively available to the public, including voter registration statistics, precinct-level election results at https://results.elections.virginia.gov/, and campaign finance disclosure reports through the Virginia Department of Elections and the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP) at https://www.vpap.org/. Voter registration lists are available for purchase for lawful election-related purposes under Virginia Code § 24.2-405.