Appomattox elections board seeks to close precincts that serve Black voters

A proposal to close and consolidate two voting precincts in Appomattox County has sparked concerns about voter access and racial equity, as the changes would disproportionately impact Black and minority voters.

The county’s Board of Elections made the request at the Jan. 21, 2025, Board of Supervisors meeting, targeting precinct 201 in the Chap community and 502 in Agee — the two with the highest percentages of Black and racial minority voters among the county’s nine precincts.

According to census block data compiled by the NAACP Virginia State Conference, 36.7% of Chap precinct voters and 24.4% of Agee precinct voters are Black. Racial minority voters overall make up 40.27% and 27.82% of the respective precincts.

Appomattox County, home to just over 16,000 residents and situated between Lynchburg to the west and Farmville to the east, is a Republican stronghold. In the 2021 gubernatorial race, GOP nominee Glenn Youngkin dominated with 80% over Democrat Terry McAuliffe, who received 19%. In the 2024 presidential election, former President Donald Trump carried the county by a wide margin, winning 75% of the vote to then-Vice President Kamala Harris’ 24%.



https://virginiamercury.com/2025/03/05/appomattox-elections-board-seeks-to-close-precincts-that-serve-black-voters/