This article originally appeared here, at baconsrebellion.com.

Most early voters are probably surprised to find that they also have a proposed constitutional amendment to consider on the Virginia 2024 ballot. As happens often in Virginia, the proposal has received no serious attention from the (dying) news media, and the state itself makes no real effort to inform people about it.

It is one more reason the lines will form and move slowly on November 5 and another good reason to find your way to your local early voting location, which will be far less crowded than your main precinct. 

The ballot question involves expanding an existing tax exemption from paying local real property (home and land) taxes. Right now the surviving spouse of a member of the armed forces gets the exemption if their spouse is killed in action. If this passes, the exemption would be available after death from another cause which is determined by the U.S. government to be “in the line of duty.”

The underlying legislation passed during the 2023 and 2024 sessions, sponsored by Senator Jeremy McPike, D-Prince William. The bills did not receive any financial impact analyses which might inform voters how many additional exemptions would be authorized, and how much they would reduce local tax revenue. The exemption applies only to a “principal place of residence” owned and occupied by the spouse and expires if they remarry.

Election officers will get plenty of questions about it, but in general will know no more about the fine points of Article X than the voters do. It will be a long, long day, especially in locations with contested local elections on top of the federal contests.

Early voting is not proving as popular as it did in 2020, at least not so far, which is fascinating because the evidence indicates more Republicans are doing it this time. Please vote early.