Plans to streamline voting in the Piney Mountain District hit a procedural yellow light Monday night. The Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on a proposal to merge the Agee precinct with the Oakville precinct but ultimately voted to table any action until next month.

The plan, recommended by the Appomattox County Electoral Board, is straightforward: consolidate the two existing Piney Mountain voting precincts into one. The single polling place for the entire district would be the Oakville Ruritan Building on Piney Mountain Road, effectively eliminating the Agee precinct and its separate polling location.

The public hearing came and went without a single speaker stepping up to the podium – perhaps indicating quiet acceptance, or maybe just late-Monday indifference. However, when it came time for the Board to potentially adopt the ordinance making the change official, County Attorney Mark Popovich advised hitting the brakes.

Popovich explained that changes to voting precincts require a “certificate of no objection” from the Virginia Attorney General’s office. He had submitted the request back on March 21st, and the AG’s office has a 60-day window to respond or raise concerns. To ensure that process plays out properly, Popovich recommended tabling the matter.

Supervisor Wolfskill made the motion to table, seconded by Supervisor Carter, and the vote was unanimous. So, while the merger seems likely – consolidating locations can save money and simplify logistics for the Registrar – voters in Piney Mountain will have to wait until at least the May meeting to see the final stamp of approval, assuming Richmond gives the green light. Just a little reminder that even local decisions sometimes need a nod from the state capital.