Dear Friend,

This week’s newsletter shares vaccine information for COVID and flu season, provides information on early voting across the Commonwealth, discusses the Senate Page Program, and reflects on select community engagements from this past week. Thank you for reading this newsletter and for staying informed.

Vaccines for COVID and Flu Season

After weeks of confusion for Virginians seeking the COVID vaccine boosters, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) at last issued a standing order to ensure Virginians can continue to access COVID-19 vaccines amid continued uncertainty about availability, prescription requirements, and insurance coverage for the necessary boosters. 

According to the most recent VDH Respiratory Illness Report, overall respiratory activity in Virginia remains minimal and stable, with COVID-19 emergency department visits trending down. Influenza and RSV are currently low, but as we move into the fall and winter seasons, typically the peak periods for respiratory illnesses, vaccination remains the strongest tool for protection.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that everyone six months and older receive the updated COVID-19 vaccine, along with the annual flu shot. Flu activity usually begins to rise in October and peaks between December and February. Getting vaccinated now ensures protection ahead of the holiday season and helps reduce strain on hospitals.

Virginians can locate nearby vaccine providers through the VDH Provider Locator or Vaccines.gov. Vaccines are available at local health departments, pharmacies, urgent care centers, and primary care offices. These vaccines are safe, effective, and accessible; they not only protect individuals but also safeguard vulnerable family members and neighbors who may be immunocompromised and thus not be able to receive vaccinations themselves.

As public health experts remind us, vaccines remain the most effective defense against severe illness, hospitalization, and death. By staying current on COVID-19 and flu vaccinations this season, everyone can play a part in keeping communities healthy, safe, and resilient.

Early Voting is Underway

Election Day is Tuesday, November 4, and Virginians have already started voting! Voters can vote in-person from now until November 1. In recent General Assembly sessions, Democrats have successfully championed laws that expand voting access including no-excuse early voting, mail-in ballots, and same-day voter registration. Virginians now have the ability to vote early, in-person, 45 days before Election Day. To check voter registration status, request a ballot to vote by mail, and learn more information about upcoming elections, visit the Virginia Department of Elections website or I Will Vote.

For my constituents in Senate District 15 (Chesterfield County and City of Richmond), early voting information is as follows:

Early Voting Locations: Chesterfield County

Early in-person voting is available at Central Library (7051 Lucy Corr Blvd, Chesterfield). Please note that early voting is not available at the Chesterfield Registrar’s Office. 

Additional satellite locations will be available beginning Monday, October 20. Verify voting hours for satellite locations through the Chesterfield Registrar’s Office. Residents registered to vote in Chesterfield County may vote at any of the following locations during this next phase of the early voting period (October 20 through November 1):

• Clover Hill Library (6701 Deer Run Drive, Midlothian)
• Ettrick-Matoaca Library (4501 River Road, South Chesterfield)
• LaPrade Library (9000 Hull Street Road, North Chesterfield)
• Meadowdale Library (4301 Meadowdale Boulevard, North Chesterfield)
• North Courthouse Road Library (325 Courthouse Road, North Chesterfield) 

Early Voting Locations: City of Richmond

Early in-person voting is available for City of Richmond residents at the Office of Elections (2134 West Laburnum Avenue, Richmond).

Additional satellite locations will be available beginning Monday, October 20. Verify voting hours for satellite locations through the Richmond Registrar’s Office. Residents registered to vote in the City of Richmond may vote at any of the following locations during this next phase of the early voting period (October 20 through November 1):

• City Hall (900 East Broad Street, Richmond)
• Hickory Hill Community Center (3000 East Belt Boulevard, Richmond)

The 2026 Senate Page Program

Applications for the 2026 Senate Page Program are now being accepted. The Senate Page Program offers a unique opportunity for young Virginians to learn about policy making and state government processes. Applicants must be residents of the Commonwealth and either 13 or 14 years old on January 14, 2026, the first day of the new session. 

Pages perform administrative duties, participate in team building, undergo rigorous civics education, and help with day-to-day operations of the General Assembly. While immersed in the program, Pages live in Richmond throughout the duration of the General Assembly, visiting home on the weekends. The well-structured program provides time for Pages to keep up with schoolwork while also engaging in General Assembly activities. 

The deadline to apply is this Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at 5:00 pm. Questions may be directed to [email protected] or (804) 698-7410.

Select Community Engagements

On Wednesday, I was honored to join supporters in Clarke County for my campaign for Lieutenant Governor. Virginians are ready for new leadership in Richmond who will not only stand up against the harmful policies coming from Washington but also provide a forward-looking vision for our Commonwealth.

On Friday morning, I joined C-Suite and mid-level executives, clinical and operational leaders, vendors, and consultants at the Central Virginia Health Executives Group (CVHEG) fall conference in Richmond. As Chair of the Senate Committee on Education and Health, I participated in CVHEG's panel on "Navigating Key Legislative Issues in Healthcare" to share my work to address our healthcare structures, Medicaid challenges, uninsured rates, improve coverage, and patients' cost sharing. 

That same evening, I was pleased to join LGBTQ+ friends and supporters of my campaign for Lieutenant Governor for a meet-and-greet in Richmond. In this election, Virginians are casting their ballot to ensure the rights of all individuals receive equal protection across our Commonwealth.

On Saturday morning, I was delighted to meet and greet the Portsmouth community at its 78th annual Fish Bowl Classic Parade, part of a weeklong celebration alongside former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, President Pro Tempore Senator Louise Lucas, Speaker of the House Delegate Don Scott, and Chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia Senator Lamont Bagby.

Later that afternoon, I was honored to be joined in Fairfax County by Maryland Lieutenant Governor Dr. Aruna Miller, Senators Saddam Salim and Kannan Srinivasan, Delegate Kathy Tran, and former Delegate Mark Keam, as well as numerous supporters of my Lieutenant Governor campaign. I will continue to foster strong relationships with neighboring state leaders and build regional cooperation that will strengthen all of our constituencies.

On Sunday morning, I was honored to attend the Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Fairfax for prayer services. Virginia’s Sikh Community continues to be engaged around the world in much-needed humanitarian aid – both domestically and internationally –  and are responding now with urgency to the flooding crisis that is affecting large parts of the Punjab region in South Asia.

On Sunday afternoon, I joined the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Virginia 512 for its virtual Home Care Town Hall to discuss the unprecedented Medicaid cuts from the Republican-led Congress that will significantly impact Home Care Workers' provision of care services for older adults and individuals with disabilities.

Late that evening, I met with supporters in the Great Falls area to share my vision for a more just and equitable Virginia in which all members of our communities have an opportunity to prosper. We need a Lieutenant Governor who will chart a new path forward, fight for Virginians rather than for billionaires, and stand up to the destructive actions of Trump and the Republican-led Congress.

Connecting With My Office

My office can be reached at the following:

Email:  [email protected] 

Phone:  804.698.7515

If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up to receive my office’s weekly newsletter here. 

— Ghazala

Email us: [email protected]

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Friends of Ghazala Hashmi
PO Box 72923
Richmond, VA 23235
United States

GhazalaHashmi.com

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