Saint Charles, Virginia Public Records

While Saint Charles has maintained its rural character, the town's strategic location within Lee County has also attracted several light industrial and manufacturing facilities, providing employment opportunities for local residents.

The safety and security of Saint Charles residents is primarily overseen by the Saint Charles Police Department, a dedicated force committed to preserving the community's well-being. This local law enforcement agency, headquartered at 50 Oak Street, works in close collaboration with the Lee County Sheriff's Office to address any criminal activity or public safety concerns within the city limits. Individuals seeking access to arrest records, mugshots, or other law enforcement-related information can initiate their requests by contacting the Saint Charles Police Department directly or the Lee County Sheriff's Office, which maintains comprehensive criminal justice records for the entire county.

Saint Charles voters are served by the Lee County Office of General Registrar and Electoral Board, located at 37 Court Street, Suite A, Jonesville, VA 24263, phone (276) 346-7778. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, and handles all voter registration, absentee voting, and election administration for Lee County including the Saint Charles community. Virginia residents can register to vote online at vote.elections.virginia.gov, which provides a secure portal for new registrations, address updates, and checking registration status. The voter registration deadline in Virginia is 22 days before any election. Acceptable forms of identification for registration and voting include a Virginia driver's license or DMV-issued ID, U.S. passport, employer-issued photo ID, student ID from a Virginia college or university, or other government-issued photo ID. Since Saint Charles is unincorporated without municipal government, residents do not vote in city or town elections; instead, they participate in Lee County, state, and federal elections. County elections for the Lee County Board of Supervisors are held in November of odd-numbered years (most recently 2023, next in 2027), with the county divided into districts and each supervisor serving a four-year term. Saint Charles voters can find their assigned polling location by using the Virginia Department of Elections polling place locator at vote.elections.virginia.gov or by contacting the Lee County Registrar's office. Polling places are typically located at schools, community centers, or fire stations. In the November 2024 presidential election, Lee County reported approximately 65% voter turnout with roughly 4,800 ballots cast out of approximately 7,400 registered voters; the county favored the Republican presidential candidate by a wide margin, consistent with historical voting patterns in Southwest Virginia. Looking ahead to the November 3, 2026 general election, Saint Charles and Lee County voters will decide several important races. Virginia does not have a gubernatorial election in 2026 (the next is 2025), but voters will elect all 100 members of the Virginia House of Delegates for two-year terms. Lee County is part of the 4th House District, and voters will choose their delegate representative. There is no U.S. Senate seat from Virginia up for election in 2026 (Virginia's seats are contested in 2024 and 2025 special/regular cycles); however, voters will elect their U.S. Representative for Virginia's 9th Congressional District, which encompasses Lee County and most of Southwest Virginia. At the county level, some constitutional officer positions including Commissioner of Revenue, Treasurer, Commonwealth's Attorney, Sheriff, and Clerk of Circuit Court may be on the ballot depending on term expirations; these offices serve four-year terms with elections held in November of years divisible by four (2024, 2028, etc.), so county constitutional offices will not be on the 2026 ballot. School board positions may be contested if terms expire. Virginia election records that are public include voter registration lists (available for purchase by qualified requestors for legitimate purposes under Virginia Code § 24.2-405), precinct-level election results published by the Virginia Department of Elections at elections.virginia.gov/resultsreports, campaign finance reports filed by candidates and political committees accessible through the Virginia Public Access Project at vpap.org and the Department of Elections, and candidate filings and ballot information maintained by local registrars. To vote absentee in Virginia, voters may apply online at vote.elections.virginia.gov, by mail, in person at the registrar's office, or by fax or email. Early voting (in-person absentee) begins 45 days before an election and ends the Saturday before Election Day; the Lee County registrar's office serves as the early voting location. Mail-in absentee ballots must be requested by 5:00 PM on the Tuesday before Election Day and must be received by 7:00 PM on Election Day to be counted (postmark does not count). No excuse is required for absentee voting in Virginia following legislative changes implemented in recent years.