Members of the Town of Farmville will have an opportunity to cast their votes May 1 for the candidates running for mayor, wards A, B, C and an at-large member during the town’s general election.

Each of the candidates running for the Town of Farmville are unopposed.

David Whitus will run for mayor, Greg Cole will run for ward A, Brian Vincent will run for Ward B, previously held by Sally Thompson prior to her resignation in December, Vice Mayor A.D. “Chuckie” Reid will run for Ward C, and Tom Pairet will run for at-large council member.

According to documentation from the Prince Edward County Voter Registrar Office, all residents who vote will have an opportunity to vote for the Mayor and one at-large member of Town Council. For those who live in Wards A, B and C, they will vote for council members who represent their wards.

Those living at Wards A and B will vote at the Farmville Train Station at 510 W. Third St., those living at Wards C & D will vote at the Prince Edward Elks Lodge #269, 636 S. Main St. and those living at Ward E will vote at the Farmville Area Bus station on 502 Doswell St.

The final day for in-person, absentee voting is Saturday, April 28. The voter registrar office at 124 N. Main St. will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., the documentation cited.

“(The ID) has to be valid, which means it can’t be expired within a year,” Lynette Wright, director of elections/general registrar for Prince Edward County, said Monday. For those who do not have a valid photo ID, she said the office can provide one free of charge. She said those IDs are for people who do not own a valid photo ID, not for those who may have misplaced theirs.

“(We) try to make it as easy as possible for everyone,” Wright said.

The deadline for absentee ballot applications by mail was Tuesday.

Whitus said he is completing 20 years on the town council this year with the last four years as mayor.

He said aspects of the town’s development that he has found rewarding include partnerships with Longwood University and Hampden-Sydney College and the town’s involvement with the 2016 Vice Presidential Debate.

“The number of new businesses, especially new hotel rooms, brings a tremendous level of excitement to our community,” Whitus said. “The vision for the future is very promising as the town continues to partner with our stakeholders and creates new projects. Farmville is truly a great place to live, work and play. I encourage our citizens to come out and vote on Tuesday, May 1, to continue this synergy and build a stronger community.”

Reid said one of his goals during his tenure as Ward C representative and vice mayor is to hold quarterly town hall meetings with constituents from wards C and D with Councilmember Donald Hunter to get input from constituents in those wards.

“I encourage everyone in Ward C to get out and vote,” Reid said.

Ward A council member Greg Cole said he has served one term with the council, being elected four years ago. He said he uses his business leading experience to make sure the town is operating efficiently.

“My desire is to serve a town and community that my family and I have called home these last 23 years,” Cole said. “It is exciting to be a part of a growing community, to see the financial health of the town getting stronger each year, and to see groups and individuals becoming more active in town governance. This voting cycle may not offer much in choices of candidates, but I encourage each registered voter to exercise their right to cast a vote.”

Brian Vincent, who is running for Ward B, said while he has issues that he wants to pursue in his seat, “governing on a municipal level is not a one person job. I believe a continued cultivation of conversations that include a diverse array of stakeholders in our community is important. My main objective is engagement, helping to ensure a prosperous future for Farmville, and bringing a fresh insight to the table.”

He said his campaign has been rewarding so far.

“I’ve got two daughters, 4 and 6 years old, and they’ve walked the neighborhood with me, meeting the citizens of this area. It’s been a great exercise in civic duty for them and me,” Vincent said. “I enjoy hearing people’s ideas, discussing possible solutions to problems, and envisioning achievable projects.”

He said his goal is to represent the residents of Ward B, and encouraged all participants to vote.

“The best way for a community to be heard is still through the ballot box,” Vincent said.

At-large council member Tom Pairet said the projected roundabout at the intersection of Griffin Boulevard and High and Oak Streets and the potential apartment complex proposed by Robert and Sherry Martin are current issues that need feedback from the community.

“Both of these issues have potential for big impact on our community,” Pairet said.

He said his goals would be to make sure the town continues to follow through on its updated comprehensive plan and revisions of current zoning to bring the town up to date. He said the input from members of the town is critical to the town’s growth.

“The community continues to drive us for improvement,” Pairet said. “With the upcoming election right around the corner I would encourage people to get involved and make their concerns known and get out and vote.”