Joe Cobb, Vivian Sanchez-Jones and Peter Volosin are the three democratic candidates running for Roanoke City Council.

DETROIT – Three Detroit voters have joined a local organization in suing President Trump and his campaign over their effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The Michigan Welfare Rights Organization, along with three Detroit residents, filed a lawsuit against the Trump campaign Friday, arguing that the campaign is seeking to disenfranchise Black voters in their attempt to block the certification of Michigan votes -- especially those from Wayne County. “Having lost the vote in Michigan and other states that are necessary for a majority of the electoral college, President Trump and the Donald J. Trump For President, Inc. Campaign are engaged in a campaign to overturn the results of the election by blocking certification of the results, on the (legally incorrect) theory that blocking certification would allow state legislatures to override the will of the voters and choose the Trump Campaign’s slate of electors,” the complaint reads. They claim that Trump’s campaign has been “intimidating or coercing state and local officials from aiding Plaintiffs and other residents of Detroit and Wayne County from having their votes ‘counted properly and included in the appropriate totals of votes cast’” -- which, if true, is in direct violation of the act. Click here to read the full story.

Georgia’s top elections official on Friday certified election results showing Joe Biden won the presidential election after a hand tally stemming from a mandatory audit affirmed the Democrat’s lead over Republican President Donald Trump. The final results certified by Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger had Biden with 2.47 million votes, President Donald Trump with 2.46 million votes and Libertarian Jo Jorgensen with 62,138. “Working as an engineer throughout my life, I live by the motto that numbers don’t lie,” Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said during a news conference at the state Capitol. “As secretary of state, I believe that the numbers that we have presented today are correct. It is the totals certified by the counties, not the results of the hand tally, that will be certified by the state.

NBC News has officially made a projection for every U.S. state’s Electoral College votes. President-elect Joe Biden won Georgia, while President Trump won North Carolina, NBC News announced on Friday. Trump gains 15 electoral votes, while Biden gains 16, bringing the final projected tally to 306 electoral votes for Biden and 232 for Trump. Trump also won North Carolina four years ago. Currently, election officials in Georgia’s 159 counties are undertaking a hand tally of the presidential race that stems from an audit required by state law.

BLACKSBURG, Va. – A surge of young voters is one of the things that made this presidential election unlike any other. “I feel that’s why Biden and Kamala were able to win is that they had this huge group of younger voter turnout that supported them a lot,” Virginia Tech student Elizabeth Wells said. “These are the problems that are probably going to affect us more than anyone else, because, you know, we are the next generation,” Virginia Tech student Luke Dangel said. “I just hope that we don’t just do this this year, that we keep this trend going,” Virginia Tech student Cameron Rose said. Many Virginia Tech students 10 News spoke with are celebrating the people who voted just as much as who they voted for.

ROANOKE, Va. – When NBC News determined Joe Biden would win the presidential election Saturday morning, it was the moment Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea had waited four years to experience. “I was following this all week, even in the midst of my own election,” said Lea, who was elected for a second term as Roanoke’s mayor this week. Roanoke teenagers Jasmine Rosser and Morgan Fletchall said this was the first election they have ever voted in. Although Biden won the election, Virginia Tech politics professor Karen Hult said Republicans still have a lot to celebrate. Lea said he is looking forward to how the next four years will be under President-elect Biden.

Joe Biden addressed the nation on Friday night. WATCH THE FULL SPEECH BELOW:As of this article’s publish time on November 6, Biden has 264 electoral votes, according to the Associated Press, leaving him just 6 votes short of the 270 required to win the presidency. According to NBC’s projections, Biden currently has 253 electoral votes, as NBC has not made an official call yet for Arizona, which carries 11 electoral votes. Per both AP’s and NBC’s projections, Trump currently has 214 electoral votes.

President Donald Trump made a statement from the White House briefing room on Thursday night. This was the second time Trump made a public statement since polls closed Tuesday. The president also highlighted the gains Republicans made on election day. “There was no blue wave that they predicted…Instead, there was a big, red wave,” said Trump. “We kept the senate, despite having twice as many seats to defend as Democrats.”In addition to the Republicans' “fantastic job” in the Senate, Trump touted Republican gains in the House.

FINCASTLE, Va. – Some Virginia voters doubted if their votes had been counted on Election Day after a viral, but misleading, social media post. The post claimed some votes were ignored by the Commonwealth based on a section of the Virginia Department of Elections' voter information page. “Different offices across the state are different sizes and have different numbers of staff, which means they move at different paces.”The Virginia Department of Elections also used social media to counter the claims about the ballots. Clark hopes voters understand there is no need to worry about a ballot once it is in the system. “We’ve probably been working anywhere from 10 to 16 hour days at the election office," Clark said.

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Not only did Virginians cast ballots for candidates, but voters decided on Constitutional amendments. The amendment also takes into consideration minority communities when drawing fair districts and making commission meetings and data public. The group Fair Maps VA pushed for the amendment to make the ballot. “We were pleased to see the results in blue parts of Virginia and red parts of Virginia looking about the same because Virginians really want reform,” said Brian Cannon, executive director of Fair Maps VA. Fair Maps VA says the arrival of Census data also plays a role of when redistricting lines can be drawn.

ROANOKE, Va. – For the first time in the Star City, minorities will hold the majority on Roanoke City Council with four African Americans, one Latina and two white members. Democrat Robert Jeffrey Jr. and independent Stephanie Moon Reynolds will join incumbent democrats Mayor Sherman Lea and Councilwoman Trish White-Boyd. “It speaks well to the equity and empowerment that we’re trying to project in our city," said Lea. Council members Michelle Davis and Anita Price did not run for re-election in 2020. Lea said council is going to hold a public hearing on the bus station and council members are going in with open minds.

ROANOKE, Va. – The chair of the Roanoke City Republican Committee, Charlie Nave, said he is surprised and disappointed by the election. Nave said he trusts that election workers are following the law and counting all the votes accurately. He has a message for the Democrats that have been elected to lead Roanoke City. “Start listening to the people of Roanoke, all the people of Roanoke, even though [council members] represent only one party," said Nave. He added that he thinks Republicans could take over key races in Virginia in next year’s election.

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President Trump gave a speech early Wednesday morning following election night. Trump was joined by his family, as well as Vice President Pence and Karen Pence, from The East Room at the White House.

The AP declared Democratic nominee Joe Biden the winner of Virginia at 7:31 p.m. EST, after results from early returns and an AP survey of the electorate showed the former vice president had beaten President Donald Trump in the state. While only about 10% of the vote had been counted statewide at the time, completed counts in a representative selection of precincts in communities across Virginia showed Biden comfortably ahead of Trump. The survey found Biden with a substantial lead in the state. Trump jumped out to an early lead in Virginia because many Republican counties reported their results first. Virginia was once solidly Republican, with President George W. Bush winning there as recently as 2004.

The former vice president is competitive in all the battleground states Trump carried in 2016, and has put a handful of traditional Republican states, including Georgia and Arizona, in play. Grab the binoculars and focus on these 10 states as election returns start rolling in:Florida: 29 electoral votesAll eyes are on Florida, a swing state known for razor-thin election tallies. If Trump doesn’t win Florida, he’s going to have a rough time capturing enough states to stay in office. As early voting began in the state, Biden expanded his ad buys into every corner of Ohio. Trump won Arizona in 2016, but it is no longer an ironclad GOP stalwart.

Here’s what voting across the nation looks like today -- one of the most historic election days in recent history. (2020 Getty Images)Would-be voters learn they are not registered at their precinct at the O.P. (2020 Getty Images)Voters cast their ballot at The Orpheum Theater on Nov. 3 in Madison, Wisconsin. (2020 Getty Images)Voters stand in ballot boxes at the Kentucky Exposition Center on Nov. 3 in Louisville, Kentucky. (2020 Getty Images)

ROANOKE, VA. – The polls open when the sun comes up Tuesday morning and candidates all over our area made their final push to get out the vote Monday night. Monday night was dark and chilly as the clocks rolled back and a burst of winter moved in, but candidates for Roanoke mayor and city council made their final push. On election eve, Republican candidates for council, Peg McGuire and Maynard Keller knocked on doors in southwest Roanoke hoping to get Republicans on council for the first time in a while. Democrat Sherman Lea, the incumbent mayor, spent election eve making calls to Roanoke citizens asking for their vote. Mayoral candidate David Bowers did most of his work in the afternoon, but like other candidates, will make his final push at the polls Tuesday.

APPOMATTOX COUNTY, Va. – Election officials in Appomattox County told 10 News on Monday there is misinformation circulating throughout the county that all voters should go to one precinct on Tuesday, which is not true. While one polling location changed for this election, all of the others are unaffected. Appomattox County Registrar, Patricia Morton, said the polling location for the Stonewall Precinct has been moved to the following address: Gleaning for the World, 7539 Stage Road, Concord, VA 24538. However, all of the other polling locations have not changed. Only the voters who usually go to the Stonewall Precinct should go to Gleaning for the World on Tuesday.

HENRY COUNTY, Va. – The presidential race won’t be the only thing Henry County residents will have to vote for on Tuesday. Depending on what voters bubble in Tuesday, taxes may go up next year for Henry County residents. The school district is requesting a sales tax to help expedite renovation projects for their aging schools. Hatchett said if the 1% sales tax increase goes through, it will help expedite projects, like expanding the cafeteria at the G.W. If voters agree to the sales tax, the school district would gain about $1,000,000.

We’ve heard of people out in droves who voted early or sent a mail-in ballot. Lines at early-voting precincts have had some crowds waiting hours -- but to cast a ballot, many find the time well-spent. Pflughoeft was fascinated with politics and determined to vote in the 2020 General Election, so she mailed in her ballot early. All the other states have various stipulations as to whether they will allow the ballot of a deceased person to count, such as when the person died and when the death is learned. However, if past elections are any indication, votes from people who pass away before Election Day generally don’t have an impact on the results, according USA Today.

LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Lynchburg Registrar’s Office made the final push Monday to get ready for Election Day. According to the Registrar’s Office, Lynchburg has more than 55,000 registered voters. Of that, about 10,000 people participated in early voting and another 9,000 requested their ballot by mail. Despite that fact, Christine Gibbons, Lynchburg’s director of elections and general registrar, asked voters to be patient. “The lines may or may not be as long, but we also have to remember, too, because of social distancing the line might take a little bit longer, even though it may not be a long line,” Gibbons said.

ROANOKE, Va. – The Latinx population in the U.S. continues to rise, making it the largest minority ethnic group. It’s a tactic that Ivonne Wallace-Fuentes, a professor of history at Roanoke College, has noticed. Dr. Jose Banuelos Montes, a modern language professor at Roanoke College, said in the Roanoke area alone there are about 11,000 Latinx residents. But when it comes to the Roanoke area, that number is even smaller. Banuelos-Montes says “you got to look in the future as well” as projections show by 2030 the Roanoke area could have about 20,000 to 30,000 Latinx residents.

ROANOKE, Va – There have been plenty of changes to the way political polls are conducted since the 2016 presidential election, including here in southwest Virginia. Dr. Harry Wilson has been overseeing the Institute for Policy and Opinion Research at Roanoke College for almost three decades. The institute conducts polls throughout the year, which Wilson says is not an exact science. While Biden is also ahead of Trump in several other national polls, Wilson says it does not always accurately predict an election. Wilson says certain groups of people may have not been accurately represented in 2016 polls nationwide.

ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – Local election officials describe early voting participation (mail-in ballots and in-person voting) as “unprecedented.”In several Southwest Virginia localities, more than half of registered voters have already cast their ballot. Roanoke County officials report 57% turnout. In Roanoke City, 43% of registered voters have voted. 10 News was given an inside look into how absentee ballots are processed. In Salem, nearly 51% of registered voters have cast their ballots, according to election officials.

One star city. Current Roanoke City Mayor Sherman Lea is facing off against the former mayor, David Bowers, in the 2020 election. The candidates differ on one controversial, key point: the downtown bus station. Bowers wants to focus on jobs and wants Roanoke to take a different route. That will bring a new direction to the Star City,” said Bowers.

CAMPBELL COUNTY, Va. – Campbell County Sheriff Whit Clark said officers will spend Election Day taking extra precautions. We’re not going to be stationed at the polling sites. “As of right now this [Monday] afternoon, we have no information about any unrest that’s going to occur in Campbell County,” said Clark. Gene Smith, Campbell County’s electoral board chairman, said they’re working closely with the Sheriff’s Office to make sure things run smoothly at their 17 polling sites. “Usually in Campbell County it goes smooth, so I’m not really looking into anything.

GILES COUNTY, Va. – Millions of Americans are voting for the first time in this election, including a Giles County man whose vote this year is just the most recent way he’s serving his country. When Victor Campos came to the United States from Mexico as a child, he made a commitment to service. Naturalization took Campos two years and he said it was worth it. Campos didn’t say who he voted for but he did say how it felt. It had been a long journey,” Campos said.

CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – Virginians have been voting for this election since Sept. 18th — but it all comes to an end Tuesday. It worked out, not too busy (of a) day for me,” said early voter Lance McDaniel. In-person early voting wrapped up on Saturday, Oct. 31, so like many poll workers, Ramey said they still are prepared for a large amount of people. We know that early voting has taken in a lot of voters, but a lot of people are still waiting to vote,” said Ramey. Ramey says voting in-person during a pandemic is a little different, and poll workers are taking precautions to make sure you can cast your vote safely.

Early voting in Virginia ended on Saturday, and last-minute voters made their picks at the polls. Meanwhile, Sen. Tim Kaine and Democratic congressional candidate Cameron Webb made campaign stops across southside Virginia. “The eyes of the country are on this race,” said Webb, who is facing Republican Bob Good in Virginia’s 5th congressional district. Last-minute early voters in Danville said they were excited to cast their vote in the congressional race. “2020 has been a tough year, but I’m ready to get this vote out of the way,” said Albert Brandon, who voted for Webb.

DORAL, Fla. – President Donald Trump met Thursday with rap star Lil Wayne at his resort in Doral, Florida. The artist posted a tweet praising the president for his efforts at “criminal justice reform” and other efforts to bolster the African American community. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany says White House officials have been speaking to Lil Wayne’s team for some time, and it culminated with Thursday’s meeting when the president campaigned in Florida. She said, “I think you’re seeing a lot of supporters come off the sidelines and want to joint president in a second term.”While Joe Biden is expected to win the vast majority of Black voters in next week’s election, Trump has courted them and hopes to shave into Democrats' historic advantage in the community. The meeting with Lil Wayne comes after the White House publicized Trump holding sit-downs with other prominent black artists 50 Cent and Ice Cube.

ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY, Va. – Your last day to vote early in Virginia is Saturday, October 31. As it has become practice throughout early voting, you cast your early ballot at your locality’s election office. Early voting began with long lines across the country in many places. On the eve of the final day to vote early, lines were long but steady in Roanoke and Rockbridge County. So far, over a third of the Rockbridge County voting population has cast their ballot.

ROANOKE, Va. – Virginia voters haven’t elected a Republican to statewide office in more than a decade, but Daniel Gade is hoping to change that. a lifetime of demonstrated fidelity to the Constitution and willingness to risk everything including my life for my values, for our shared values,” said Gade. Here’s the full interview of Gade speaking with 10 News:The 25-year Army veteran lost a leg in Iraq and was decorated for valor. “This is it just an extension of what I’ve always done, just serve my fellow citizens and serve the constitution,” said Gade. Gade said he hopes that having somebody you can trust will land him a spot in the Senate.

Mark Warner is no stranger to Virginia voters. It’s that familiarity he’s hoping will earn him a third term in the Senate. I think we need to bring down drug prices by giving the government power to negotiate with the pharmaceutical companies. With a second COVID relief package still up in the air in the Senate, Warner told 10 News he’s willing to meet Republicans in the middle. Warner said his record speaks for itself and hopes it will bring him six more years in office.

We don’t need to tell you that 2020 has been an epic election year. If you’ve kept an eye on social media to stay up to date on all the election happenings, you’ve likely been watching the feeds of President Donald Trump and Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden. They both address issues, as well as, at times, take jabs at one another. Regardless, it’s one of the best ways to stay up to date on what’s happening with both nominees. If you want to keep an eye on the latest tweets from both Trump and Biden, we’ve got them for you right here.

As President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden went head-to-head in the final debate of the 2020 presidential election, fatigue started to settle in for voters. Google reported a huge spike in searches for “When does the debate end?”Google Trends – which monitors the volume of inquiries on the search engine – tweeted Thursday evening ahead of the debate that searches for “when does the debate end” had spiked 3000 percent. "when does debate end" is spiking +3,050%https://t.co/2F8DfbsTqj — GoogleTrends (@GoogleTrends) October 23, 2020While many are ready for the race to be over, some level of interest increase is to be expected.

ROANOKE, Va. – The candidates to be Roanoke’s next mayor faced off in a virtual forum on Thursday. Roanoke’s current mayor, Sherman Lea, and Roanoke’s former mayor, David Bowers, met on a virtual stage ahead of the November 3 election. 10 News anchor John Carlin moderated the forum, which was hosted by the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce. Bowers said he was against moving the bus station to the lot in front of the Virginia Museum of Transportation. He also criticized the current city council for failing to develop a proposal across I-581 from Valley View Mall.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Voters in the 5th district this year will choose a new representative no matter who wins. They’ll be choosing between conservative Republican Bob Good and Democrat Cameron Webb. Based in Charlottesville, Webb has been seeing patients — including COVID-19 patients — while balancing time for the campaign. And it didn’t get coverage for everybody and it didn’t bring down the cost,” Webb said. It’s not a matter of tension between blacks and whites it’s a matter of attention in our country about ensuring that promise of opportunity to everybody,” Webb said.

The final debate between President Trump and Joe Biden started at 9 p.m. Thursday at Belmont University in Nashville. ORIGINAL STORYWith just 12 days until the election, it’s the final chance for each candidate to make his case to a television audience of tens of millions of voters. The debate will be moderated by NBC’s Kristen Welker. In an effort to curtail interruptions this time, the Commission on Presidential Debates announced that Trump and Biden will each have his microphone cut off while his rival delivers an opening two-minute answer to each of six debate topics. The mute button won’t figure in the open discussion portion of the debate.

ROANOKE, Va. – The 2020 election is fewer than two weeks away, but thousands of Roanoke voters have already made their decision by mail. Roanoke City Election Director Andrew Cochran says his office has received nearly 7,000 completed mail-in ballots so far, with more than 4,000 ballots still waiting to be returned. Cochran said the early voting numbers are unprecedented; according to him, only about 5,000 Roanokers voted early throughout the 2016 election. I figured this would be easier.”However, Romeo decided to drop off his ballot at the Roanoke election office instead of using the mail. Romeo said he has no regrets about his decision to use a mail-in ballot and hopes others utilize the option.

RICHMOND, Va. – A federal judge has extended the deadline for registering to vote in Virginia by 48 hours after the state’s online voter registration system went down because of an accidentally severed cable. Both the voting rights advocates seeking the extension and the Virginia state officials they sued agreed that more time should be granted. Voting advocates said the accident couldn’t have come at a worse time, and lambasted state officials for the failure. State officials said a 10-gigabit optical fiber circuit was inadvertently cut during a Chesterfield County roadside utilities project. A voter advocacy group, the New Virginia Majority Education Fund, sued for an extension, and a federal judge granted a brief one.

LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Lynchburg Registrar’s Office is accused of violating Virginia election laws. The Lynchburg Republicans City Committee claims the Registrar’s Office counted absentee ballots Monday without a Republican representative. The group says Virginia code mandates at least one election officer from each party to be present as ballots are scanned and counted prior to election day. Lynchburg’s director of elections and general registrar declined to comment. 10 News also reached out to the Virginia electoral board, but have not received a response.

The second presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden is officially off. The nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates confirmed Friday that the Oct. 15 faceoff would be scrapped. The decision was made a day after the commission announced the debate would take place “virtually” because Trump had contracted the coronavirus. Trump balked at holding the debate in that format, and Biden scheduled a town hall with ABC News for that night once Trump said he would not participate. The third debate, scheduled for Oct. 22 in Nashville, Tennessee, is still on.

BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. – Virginia law enforcement is reminding the public that regardless of your political affiliation, it’s against the law to illegally remove or vandalize campaign signs. In Bedford County, Sheriff Mike Miller said signs have been removed, painted over and some even appeared to be shot at. “It’s larceny if they steal a sign and it’s property damage if we catch them vandalizing a sign. So, it is a misdemeanor and it can be punishment up to a fine and jail time,” said Miller. Miller said the Bedford County Sheriff’s Department has responded to 13 calls regarding vandalized signs since June.

ROANOKE, Va. – All eyes will be on Salt Lake City Wednesday night for the vice presidential debate between current Vice President Mike Pence and Kamala Harris. He believes it will be more subdued than the first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden, but Pence and Harris will not avoid conflict. "Mike Pence will try to keep the conversation on Kamala Harris.”Lynch parallels Pence to then-Vice President George H.W. Bush in the 1984 vice presidential debate. “It really got the Reagan campaign back on track, and I think Mike Pence has the chance to do that," Lynch said.

Biden is holding a town hall in Miami starting at 8 p.m. Monday. He’ll follow up with a trip later this week to Arizona, which hasn’t backed a Democratic presidential candidate since 1996. “The Trump campaign continues to run their presidential campaign, and we are going to continue to run our presidential campaign,” said Biden campaign senior strategist Anita Dunn. “Clearly, both campaigns are continuing to move forward.”Still, Biden faces lingering questions about whether he was exposed to the virus. Biden shared a stage with the president for 90 minutes during last week’s first presidential primary debate.

ROANOKE, Va. – Time is running out to choose between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. 10 News political analyst Ed Lynch believes the number of undecided voters is dwindling every day. “It’s not a question now of changing undecided voters' minds," Lynch said. He said President Trump had his full support far before the 2016 election, and his enthusiasm has only increased with time. “This is probably the most important election of our lifetimes, so it’s critical to get out and vote," Clement said.

ROANOKE, Va. – The world’s attention is on President Donald Trump’s health as he deals with COVID-19, but two political voices in Virginia have unique perspectives on the situation. Rep. Morgan Griffith, who represents southwest Virginia in Congress, was diagnosed with COVID-19 in July. He said he survived the virus without any lasting damage and is optimistic President Trump will also recover in full. “President Trump is just going to have to ride this thing through. “I think you’ll see in about 48 hours, President Trump will be back up and running," Griffith said.

ROANOKE, Va. – The 2020 presidential campaign took another unexpected turn on Friday with President Donald Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis. Lynch equates Trump’s diagnosis to when Richard Nixon became ill during his 1960 presidential campaign. “It’s taken them off of the campaign trail in the short term, and it puts a lot of pressure on Biden to respect that,” Lynch said. Additionally, Lynch expects most Democrats will avoid using Trump’s illness as a talking point during the next few days. “Both campaigns are just trying to motivate the voters they have already identified as their voters,” Lynch said.

ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – The right to vote is especially important in 2020, but election directors are preparing for situations where that right could be threatened. Roanoke County Election Director Anna Cloeter said it’s important for voters to brave any possible threats at polling places, but it’s just as important to call for help when needed. “We don’t want anybody to feel like they’re in danger of exercising their fundamental right to vote," Cloeter said. Election boards are responsible for any incidents within 40 feet of a polling place, where campaigning is not allowed under any circumstance. However, Cloeter encourages voters to have their cellphones ready for any instances outside of the 40-foot zone.

ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – Tuesday night’s presidential debate remained a hot topic the day after, but some people took their thoughts straight to the polls. Hundreds of voters lined up in Roanoke County on Wednesday to cast their votes early. Many had strong opinions on the first clash between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Trump supporter Gloria Bailey hoped the candidates would focus more on the issues and less on insults. I didn’t see that.”The election is nearly a month away, and Roanoke County Election Director Anna Cloeter expects voter turnout to remain high going into November.

Show us your taxes.”The reaction from the mask-wearing crowd was inaudible on television as Trump frequently talked over Biden. Earlier this year, the building had been transformed into a temporary, 1,000-bed surge hospital, named Hope Hospital, for expected coronavirus patients. The atrium, with its skylighted roof, was turned into a makeshift debate hall with a stage, red carpeting and elevated platforms for cameras. Each candidate’s campaign was given 20 tickets to hand out to guests, said White House chief of staff Mark Meadows. As the crowd filed in before the start of the debate, nearly all were abiding by the social distancing and mask wearing rules.

In the 1992 presidential election, independent candidate Ross Perot had what at the time was deemed an unusual selection for his running mate, retired Navy Admiral James Stockdale. Bush, who served as Reagan’s vice president, easily won the 1988 presidential election over Michael Dukakis. “I served with Jack Kennedy, I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy,” Bentsen said.

ROANOKE, Va. – If you still have not registered to vote, Tuesday is the day to do it as it’s National Voter Registration Day. There are also now more ways to vote than ever. You can request a vote-by-mail ballot, vote early in-person or of course, you can vote in-person on election day. In Roanoke city, there are now more than 63,000 registered voters and signs of encouraging progress. To vote in the November election, you must be registered by Oct. 13.

We’d like to know what you need to know to feel confident about voting in this upcoming election. What can we help you understand before it’s time for you to submit your ballot? Is there one candidate or one issue that you feel you need to be better informed about? Is there something you think we need to investigate and cover better? Fill out the form below so we can better tailor our coverage to meet your needs.

And just like every election year, it’s of the utmost importance that citizens cast their ballot in this year’s election. If you’ve registered but are already concerned about how you will make it to a polling station, the ride-sharing company Uber wants to step in and lend a hand. As Election Day approaches, and as part of its “Get Out the Vote” campaign, the company aims to help people find their polling location, as well as offer discounted rides to and from the poll during early voting. “As we look ahead to this year’s election, we are committed to doing our part to make sure every citizen has access to vote,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said. Uber officials said as Election Day nears, people will begin to have access to important information in the app.

New this year is an online tracker that allows voters to follow their ballots every step of the way. From your request to your ballot’s arrival at your local registrar’s office, you’ll be able to follow your ballot’s journey. This is the first year that all Virginia mail-in ballots will have a barcode on the envelope, which is what allows them to be tracked. The deadline to request absentee mail-in ballots is Oct. 23. Ballots must be postmarked on or by Election Day and received by the registrar’s office by noon on Nov. 6.

In past presidential elections, Virginia voters needed a reason to cast an early ballot; however, this year, anyone can vote early. You can vote early without an excuse in the 45-days before Election Day. In Roanoke, you can early vote at the registrar’s office Monday-Friday 8-5 p.m. and Saturday, October 24 and 31 as well. In addition to Registrar’s Offices, across the state, some localities have established other locations where you can go to vote early. Voting on Election Day: Polling places will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Kanye West is officially off the Virginia ballot for the 2020 presidential election. On Thursday the Supreme Court of Virginia denied West’s appeal to overturn a judge’s ruling to remove him from the ballot. This means West officially won’t appear on the ballot this November. West then filed an appeal to overturn the judge’s ruling. The Supreme Court of Virginia then denied West’s appeal.

The two men vying for Virginia’s 5th District Congressional seat met for the first time on the virtual stage on Wednesday. Cameron Webb, who is running as a Democrat, practices at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. Bob Good, the Republican candidate and former Campbell County Supervisor said one of his top priorities is investing more money and resources into law enforcement agencies. Folks want to know that they are safe and if you’re not safe, nothing else matters, and that’s the number one priority that folks want,” 5th District Republican Candidate Bob Good said. While the two candidates have different opinions on most political matters, both agreed in finding ways to unite the 5th District and bounce back after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Women wearing masks pose behind a voter registration table in Union Square as the city continues Phase 4 of re-opening following restrictions imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus on August 09, 2020 in New York City. Photo by Alexi RosenfeldAug. 18 marked the 100-year anniversary of the 19th Amendment being ratified, which changed elections forever. The 19th Amendment prohibits the state and federal government from denying the right of citizens to vote based on sex -- meaning, women became eligible to vote after previous years of discrimination at the polls. Since 1980, more women have voted in each presidential election than men, according to Statista. So, how much of a gap has there been between women and men voters in each presidential election of the century?

The 2020 Republican National Convention continued with its final night Thursday. President Donald Trump spoke at the conclusion of the nights program. Other notable speakers included Ivanka Trump, Mitch McConnell and Rudy Giuliani. Heres a list of Thursday nights speakers, not in order of appearance:

The 2020 Republican National Convention continues Wednesday. The program is expected to start at 8:30 p.m.Vice President Mike Pence will speak at the conclusion of the nights program. Other notable speeches include Second Lady Karen Pence, Kellyanne Conway and Lara Trump. Heres a list of Wednesday nights speakers, not in order of appearance:

NOTE: A livestream player will be added to this article before the program begins at 8:30 p.m. The 2020 Republican National Convention continues Tuesday. The program is expected to start at 8:30 p.m.First Lady Melania Trump will speak at the conclusion of the nights program. Other notable speeches will include Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Tiffany and Eric Trump, two of the Presidents children.

(Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)NOTE: A livestream player will be added to this article before the convention program begins. Monday marks the first day of the 2020 Republican National Convention. The convention program is expected to start at 8:30 p.m. Heres the full list of speakers, according to the Trump campaign:

(Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. NOTE: A livestream player will be added to this article just before 9 p.m., when the convention program begins. Democrats convene virtually Tuesday for the 2020 Democratic National Conventions second night. Several speakers will take their respective virtual stages, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, former President Bill Clinton and Dr. Jill Biden, who is giving the keynote address. The convention program starts at 9 p.m.Heres the full list of speakers:

Restrictions and types of early voting vary by state, but 40 states and the District of Columbia do offer some form of early voting. Turning in ballots at a local election office or polling locationJust about every state allows voters to bring ballots in person to turn them in at local election offices. If you’re not close to a local election office to turn in a ballot, some states allow ballots to be turned in to alternate locations or the polling locations. New Hampshire and Vermont allow voters to return ballots to a polling place. Drop boxesThese are special containers that allow voters to drop off absentee or mail-in ballots in sealed envelopes.

Several Virginia and U.S. lawmakers and officials shared their reaction Tuesday night to Joe Bidens announcement of his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris. [Joe Biden picks Kamala Harris as running mate]Virginia Governor Ralph Northam (D):Looking forward to a new President and VP come November! Kamala Harris exemplifies the worst parts of the Democratic Party: petty fighting, grandstanding, putting Party before People, and flip-flopping on almost every issue. Neither Kamala Harris nor Tim Kaine are the types of leader Virginia demands. Kamala Harris vehemently championed many of the laws, policies, and bureaucracy that has led to the inequities we see today.

ROANOKE, Va. A nonprofit groups effort to register Roanoke absentee voters by mail backfired because of a massive mix-up. The Center for Voter Information sent vote-by-mail forms to every registered voter in Virginia. However, the return envelopes for Roanoke City voters were marked for Roanoke County, and vice versa. Thats not right.It also caught Roanoke City Registrar Andrew Cochran by surprise. I wish they had checked in with us to confirm the accuracy of the information they sent voters, Cochran said.

MIAMI President Donald Trump is postponing his planned rally Saturday in New Hampshire, the White House said, citing a tropical storm threatening parts of the mid-Atlantic and southern New England. The rally scheduled for Saturday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire has been postponed for safety reasons because of Tropical Storm Fay, Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said in a statement. It was unclear how many people would attend the New Hampshire rally, campaign officials acknowledged. There has been talk of displaying statues of American heroes at the rally, two campaign officials said. Before the pandemic, the state was on a short list along with Minnesota and New Mexico that the Trump campaign hoped to flip from blue to red.

Lynchburg, Va. Casting your ballot on election day will be a bit different because of the coronavirus pandemic. Election officials said major health and safety considerations are now a part of the process. We have in total close to 750 voters who have voted absentee, explained Gibbons. I still need to receive about another 200 ballots back from our voters. If they have decided to do that they need to make sure they bring that absentee ballot they requested.Gibbons is asking for public feedback on the process ahead of Novembers general election.

TULSA, Oklahoma Thousands are expected to attend President Trumps campaign rally on Saturday night. The event is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. EDT. Some have been waiting for days to get into the rally, which is the presidents first since the coronavirus pandemic began.

Click or tap here for deadlines in each state to register for the primary election and the general election in November. This is where you really want to start familiarizing yourself with your state’s Secretary of State or Department of State website. People can be eligible to vote by mail if they are:Going to be away from their county on Election Day and during early voting. Absentee/mail-in ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Ballots from voters overseas must be received by the fifth day after Election Day, while ballots from members of the armed forced must be received by the sixth day after Election Day.

These are the types of voting ballots and equipment used throughout the country, according to Ballotpedia:• Optical Scan Paper Ballot Systems: Voters mark their votes by filling in an oval, box, or similar shape on a paper ballot. Paper ballots are later scanned either at the polling place or at a central location. • Ballot Marking Devices and Systems: These systems are designed to help disabled voters who might be unable to vote using other methods. Rather than recording the vote into the computer’s memory, the ballot is instead marked on paper and later tabulated manually. • Punch Card Voting Systems: These devices employ a paper card and a small clipboard device.

ROANOKE, Va. – Come November, Roanoke native David Bowers will run again to be mayor of the Star City. Bowers made the announcement on Tuesday that he will be running for mayor as an independent candidate. Bowers said that he doesn’t feel that city council has listened to the people of Roanoke, but Mayor Sherman Lea said he is proud of the council’s decisions and his record as mayor. His final term as mayor brought some controversy after he requested to temporarily ban Syrian refugees from the Roanoke Valley in 2015. Earlier today, the mayor of Roanoke, Virginia, Mr. David A. Bowers, in the attached letter, joined several state... Posted by George Takei on Wednesday, November 18, 2015On Tuesday, Bowers announced 10 ideas he wants to work on, if elected: