Election 2016: Absentee Voting on Rise in Fairfax

FAIRFAX, VA — Absentee voting is on the rise in Northern Virginia this election cycle, and Fairfax certainly is no exception.

The city has mailed out 725 ballots and emailed another 131, according to General Registrar & Director of Elections Brenda Cabrera.

Too, Fairfax already has had about 380 people vote in person.

Cabrera didn't have specific numbers compared to 2012 but nonetheless said the absentee ballots far exceed those requested four years ago.

"It's hard to know whether it's a turnout statistic or whether it's just a greater use of absentee ballots," she said Wednesday. "I do think, however, that more people are aware of the option."

A poll released this week by Christopher Newport University has Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton leading Republican nominee Donald Trump by 15 percentage points in Virginia.

A new SurveyMonkey-Washington Post poll gives Clinton an 11-point lead in the state.

The candidates will hold their third and final debate tonight in Las Vegas.

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