Dear friends,

Can you believe it’s October tomorrow? I hope you and your families are enjoying the crisp weather and favorite Fall activities. This week, we touch on the election currently underway in the Commonwealth, our Senate Page Program, and several engagements I’ve had this week in the community.

Thank you, always, for taking the time to read our newsletter and staying informed of current happenings around District 10.

Voting is underway in Virginia
This past Tuesday was National Voter Registration Day. There is no better time than now to check your registration status, find your polling location, and/or apply to vote by absentee mail.

District 10 residents can vote early in-person today at the following locations:

• Chesterfield County: General Registrar’s Office located at 9848 Lori Road
• Powhatan County: Early Voting Drive-Thru Tent located in the rear parking lot of the Village Building at 3910 Old Buckingham Road
• City of Richmond: Office of the General Registrar located at 2134 West Laburnum Avenue or City Hall located at 900 East Broad Street or Hickory Hill Community Center located at 3000 East Belt Boulevard

In concert with National Voter Registration Day, Governor Northam announced the start of Virginia’s sixth High School Voter Registration challenge, a partnership between the Governor’s Office, the Secretaries of Administration and Education, the Virginia Department of Elections, and the League of Women Voters of Virginia. High schools that achieve voter registration goals of 65% of their eligible senior class will receive a congratulatory certificate. Remember, students born on or before November 2, 2003, can register to vote in this year’s General Election. Participating schools can get credit for each student who registers to vote via the Department of Elections’ Citizen Portal by using their school’s unique URL that can be found on the League of Women Voters of Virginia website. More importantly, those young voters who are registered now will have begun a lifelong habit of civic responsibility that will reach far beyond their high school years.

Senate Page Program
Does your child have an interest in state government? Do they enjoy hands-on activities with their peers? The Senate Page Program might be just the thing for them!

Senate Pages have served the upper chamber of the legislature since at least 1850. This time-honored tradition gives 13- and 14-year-olds across the Commonwealth the opportunity to engage with elected officials, learn about the legislative process, and begin growing into the civic leaders of tomorrow. Those selected for this program will stay in Richmond for the entire legislative session, giving them an in-depth and hands-on learning experience as Virginia’s State Senators engage in the work of the General Assembly.

If your child is interested, the deadline for online application submissions is Monday, October 18, at 5:00pm. You can find the application here, and more information about the Senate Page Program is here at the Capitol Classroom website.

VEC System Update Delayed
Last week, my office sent out information regarding the system-wide Virginia Employment Commission update that was originally scheduled to take place on September 29. The update to the system has now been delayed until early November. I will continue to send updates to constituents in our weekly newsletter and on social media as they arise.

SERV Meeting
Earlier this week, I traveled to Charlottesville to meet with Students for Equity and Reform in Virginia (SERV), a student organization at the University of Virginia. The organization conducts research and advocates for equitable policy solutions across the Commonwealth. We discussed SERV’s policy priorities which focus on affordable housing, education access, and environmental justice. My office is looking forward to working with these students leading up to the 2022 legislative session.

New Electric Vehicle Charging Station
On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to attend the unveiling of an electric vehicle charging station at the Blue Ridge Bank branch located at 11450 Robious Road. It was a beautiful day to gather with community members and to celebrate the meaningful steps we are taking to protect our environment. Gas-powered vehicles are the biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions. As we move increasingly towards decreased dependency on fossil-fuels and see more electric vehicles (EVs) on the roads, we have to concurrently build the infrastructure to support EVs. Increasing the number of electric vehicle charging stations in our community is an important step in supporting the growing EV market and in helping us address the climate crisis.

Virginia Longitudinal Data System Research Forum
Also on Tuesday (a busy day across District 10!), I was honored to participate in the Virginia Longitudinal Data System (VLDS) Research Forum. Alongside Virginia Secretary of Education Atif Qarni and Director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, Peter Blake, I took part on the leadership panel, “Steering the Ship of State: What Does it Take to Make a Change of Course?” Our focus was to highlight successful, data-informed policy initiatives, and offer a unique view into how the availability of timely data and research on priority issues informs our work, advocacy, and decision-making.

United Campus Workers (UCW) meeting
Earlier this week, my office also had the opportunity to meet with the United Campus Workers (UCW). We discussed their legislative priorities for the 2022 General Assembly session, which all go back to their central mission of creating just and safe workplaces for all employees, including all student workers, faculty, adjuncts, and staff. With over 400 members at two of our public higher education institutions — VCU and UVA — the UCW shows that there is widespread support surrounding increasing worker protections and creating better school communities for our students, faculty, and staff.

Cecelia Parks, UCW member from UVA, said best, “The better working conditions we have, the better learning environment our students have.”

Contacting our office
I continue to have one-on-one meetings with constituents and organizations. If you want to schedule a meeting, on Zoom or in person, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office. As a reminder, email is the best way to contact us. We can be reached at [email protected]. You can also schedule a meeting through our easy scheduling app.

— Ghazala