Rawlings, Virginia Public Records

While the community maintains a predominantly rural character, the ease of access to nearby towns like Lawrenceville allows residents to supplement their livelihoods with jobs in the retail, service, and professional sectors. This balanced economy helps sustain the vibrant, self-sufficient nature of the Rawlings community.

The registrar's office is responsible for maintaining voter registration rolls, processing absentee ballot applications, designating polling places, recruiting and training election officers, and certifying election results for Brunswick County. Virginia residents, including those in Rawlings, can register to vote online through the Virginia Department of Elections website at https://vote.elections.virginia.gov. The online system allows eligible citizens to complete voter registration applications, update existing registrations when changing addresses, and check registration status. Voter registration deadlines in Virginia are 22 days before any election. To register, applicants must be U.S. Citizens, Virginia residents, at least 18 years old by the next general election, and not currently declared mentally incompetent by a court or convicted of a felony (unless civil rights have been restored). Acceptable forms of identification include a Virginia driver's license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number. First-time voters who register by mail and have not previously voted in Virginia may be required to show identification when voting. As an unincorporated community, Rawlings does not hold municipal elections for mayor or town council. Residents participate in Brunswick County, state, and federal elections. Brunswick County is governed by a Board of Supervisors elected from single-member districts. County elections typically occur in November of odd-numbered years, with supervisors serving four-year staggered terms. The next county-level elections will be held in November 2025 for certain supervisor seats. Virginia holds state legislative elections in odd-numbered years, with all 100 House of Delegates seats and all 40 State Senate seats up for election every two years (most recently in November 2023, next in November 2025). Rawlings residents can find their assigned polling place by using the Virginia Department of Elections polling place lookup tool at https://vote.elections.virginia.gov or by contacting the Brunswick County Registrar at (434) 848-4149. Polling places are assigned based on residential address and precinct boundaries. On Election Day, polls are open from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Virginia requires voters to present one form of acceptable photo identification, including a Virginia driver's license, U.S. Passport, employer-issued photo ID, student ID from a Virginia college or university, or other government-issued photo ID. Voters without acceptable ID may sign a statement and cast a provisional ballot. Election records that are public in Virginia include voter registration lists (available for purchase for legitimate political purposes), campaign finance reports filed with the Virginia Department of Elections, candidate filing information, and precinct-level election results. The Virginia Department of Elections maintains these records at https://www.elections.virginia.gov, where citizens can search campaign finance databases, view election results by locality and precinct, and access voter statistics. In the November 2024 presidential election, Brunswick County reported voter turnout of approximately 58-62% of registered voters, consistent with rural Virginia counties, with results leaning Republican in recent presidential elections. Looking ahead to the November 3, 2026 general election, Rawlings and Brunswick County voters will decide several significant races. Virginia does not have a gubernatorial election in 2026 (the governor serves a four-year term and cannot serve consecutive terms; the next gubernatorial election is in 2025). However, 2026 will feature all U.S. House of Representatives seats, including Virginia's 5th Congressional District which includes Brunswick County. Virginia's two U.S. Senate seats are not up for election in 2026 (Senator Mark Warner was re-elected in 2020 for a term ending in 2026, and Senator Tim Kaine was re-elected in 2024). State legislative seats in the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate may be on the ballot depending on district boundaries and the election cycle. Brunswick County Board of Supervisors seats may also appear depending on the staggered election schedule. Voters should verify specific races with the Brunswick County Registrar closer to the election date. Virginia offers absentee voting both by mail and in-person for voters who qualify. Any registered voter may vote absentee by mail without providing an excuse, thanks to recent changes in Virginia election law. To request an absentee ballot, voters can apply online through the Virginia Department of Elections citizen portal at https://vote.elections.virginia.gov, download and mail a paper application, or request one in person at the Brunswick County Registrar's Office. The deadline to request a mailed absentee ballot is 11 days before the election (5:00 PM). Completed absentee ballots must be returned by mail (postmarked by Election Day and received by noon on the third day after the election) or delivered in person to the registrar's office by 7:00 PM on Election Day. In-person absentee voting is available at the Brunswick County Registrar's Office beginning 45 days before any election, with extended hours during the final week before Election Day. Voters can track their absentee ballot status online through the Virginia Department of Elections website.