Redwood, Virginia Public Records

Public safety in Redwood is overseen by the dedicated members of the Redwood Police Department, which works in collaboration with the Franklin County Sheriff's Office to ensure the security and well-being of local residents. For those seeking information about criminal records, the process begins with the Redwood Police Department, where individuals can request arrest records and mugshots. The Franklin County Sheriff's Office also maintains a central repository for more comprehensive criminal history information, including booking records and incident reports.

Redwood voters are served by the Franklin County Office of the General Registrar and Electoral Board, located at 1255 Franklin Street, Rocky Mount, VA 24151, phone (540) 483-3088, website https://www.franklincountyva.gov/190/General-Registrar. This office administers all aspects of voter registration, elections, and voter records for Franklin County, including the Redwood community. The General Registrar maintains voter rolls, processes registration applications, manages absentee voting, recruits and trains election officers, and certifies election results for county, state, and federal contests.

Virginia residents can register to vote online through the Virginia Department of Elections at https://www.elections.virginia.gov/registration/how-to-register/. The registration deadline is 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 identification for in-person voting includes Virginia driver's license, U.S. passport, employer-issued photo ID, student ID from a Virginia college, voter photo ID card issued by the General Registrar, or other government-issued ID. Virginia also accepts current utility bills, bank statements, government checks, or paychecks showing the voter's name and address. First-time voters who registered by mail may need to show identification.

Redwood, as an unincorporated community, does not hold municipal elections for mayor or town council, as it has no incorporated government. Residents vote in Franklin County Board of Supervisors elections; the county is divided into seven magisterial districts, and Redwood falls within one of these districts. The Board of Supervisors consists of seven members elected to staggered four-year terms, with elections held in November of odd-numbered years. Redwood voters also participate in elections for Constitutional Officers including Sheriff, Commonwealth's Attorney, Commissioner of the Revenue, Treasurer, and Clerk of Circuit Court, all elected to four-year terms.

Redwood residents can find their assigned polling location by using the Virginia Department of Elections' polling place locator at https://www.elections.virginia.gov/registration/where-to-vote/ or by contacting the Franklin County General Registrar at (540) 483-3088. Polling places are assigned based on residential address and precinct boundaries. Polls are open from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Election Day; any voter in line at 7:00 PM is permitted to vote.

Virginia election records that are public include voter registration lists (excluding Social Security numbers and certain personal information), which can be purchased from the State Board of Elections for legitimate purposes; precinct-level election results, which are published online at https://www.elections.virginia.gov/resultsreports/ after certification; and campaign finance reports, which are filed with and searchable through the Virginia Department of Elections' Campaign Finance Database at https://apps.elections.virginia.gov/SBE_CSV/CF/. Candidate filings and ballot measures are also public and available through the State Board of Elections and county registrar offices.

In the November 2024 presidential election, Franklin County reported approximately 61% voter turnout, with roughly 21,000 ballots cast out of approximately 34,500 registered voters. The county demonstrated strong participation in this highly contested election, consistent with Virginia's overall turnout trends.

Looking ahead to November 3, 2026, Franklin County and Redwood voters will decide several important races. Virginia's U.S. Senate seat currently held by Mark Warner will not be on the ballot in 2026 (it will be up in 2026 only if special circumstances arise); however, one of Virginia's two U.S. Senate seats may be contested. Virginia does not hold gubernatorial elections in 2026; the next governor's race will be in 2025 for a term beginning in 2026. However, all 100 seats in the Virginia House of Delegates will be on the ballot in 2025, not 2026. In 2026, voters will likely decide U.S. House of Representatives seats (Franklin County is in Virginia's 5th or 9th Congressional District depending on current boundaries), and potentially some county-level offices if their terms align with even-year federal election cycles. Voters should check with the Franklin County General Registrar for confirmed races and candidates as the 2026 election approaches.

Virginia offers absentee voting by mail for any registered voter without requiring an excuse. Applications for absentee ballots can be submitted online at https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-a-ballot/absentee-voting/, by mail, email, or fax to the Franklin County General Registrar. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is 5:00 PM on the Friday before Election Day for mail ballots, or 2:00 PM on the Saturday before Election Day for in-person absentee voting. Early in-person absentee voting begins 45 days before any election at the General Registrar's office in Rocky Mount. 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 General Registrar's office or a designated drop-off location by 7:00 PM on Election Day.