Virginia Beach Daily Local Headlines: Early Voting, I-264 Chase, DUI Sentencing, Guard Memorial
Virginia Beach, VA – March 4, 2026 – Early voting opens Friday for two special elections, plus a high-speed I-264 chase and a DUI sentencing update.
Top story: Early voting opens for two special elections
Starting Friday, March 6, some Virginia Beach voters can begin casting ballots in two special elections that run on different timelines but share the same local election hub.
The city’s Voter Registration & Elections office has moved into a larger, centralized building at 500 Studio Drive, off Independence Boulevard near Mount Trashmore. For voters eligible in both contests, election staff expect a two-step process with separate check-in stations so each ballot is issued and recorded correctly.
The first vote is the March 17 special election for House District 98, which covers parts of southern Virginia Beach. The candidates include Cheryl Smith, a retired teacher, and Andrew Rice, a deputy commonwealth’s attorney. Key deadlines include voter registration by March 10 and the vote-by-mail application deadline on Friday at 5 p.m.
The second is an April 21 special election on a proposed constitutional amendment dealing with redistricting, which applies citywide. Satellite early-voting locations for that April vote are scheduled April 11–18 at Great Neck Recreation Center and Seatack Recreation Center.
Public safety
High-speed I-264 chase that began in Virginia Beach ends with Norfolk crash
Virginia State Police say a trooper attempted to stop a Honda Accord on I-264 near Lynnhaven Parkway late Monday night, March 2, after clocking it at 107 mph in a 55 mph zone. Investigators say the driver fled, exited onto Brambleton Avenue in Norfolk, and crashed into another vehicle stopped at a light at Brambleton and Monticello avenues. Police say a firearm and cocaine were recovered, and the driver was taken into custody after a brief foot pursuit.
DUI sentencing update tied to a Virginia Beach Boulevard pedestrian crash
A driver has been sentenced in a case stemming from a July 28, 2024 crash in the 1600 block of Virginia Beach Boulevard, where police say a 67-year-old pedestrian was seriously injured. Court records described the sentence as above the recommended guidelines and included a mix of jail time, a license suspension, and supervised probation.
Community
Virginia Air National Guard marks 25 years since a RED HORSE plane crash
Service members, families, and friends gathered March 3 at the State Military Reservation in Virginia Beach for a memorial ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of a plane crash that killed 21 service members. Organizers placed a wreath at the unit memorial site and used the moment to remember those lost and the community that supported the squadron in the years since.
Looking ahead: State of the City is Thursday
A ticketed State of the City event is scheduled for Thursday, March 5, from noon to 2 p.m. at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.
Sources
- https://www.whro.org/local-government/2026-03-04/for-virginia-beach-early-voting-nears-for-two-special-elections
- https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/state-police-interstate-chase-virginia-185528099.html
- https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/dui-driver-receives-above-guideline-160804108.html
- https://www.dvidshub.net/image/9549221/ceremony-marks-25th-anniversary-203rd-red-horse-plane-crash
- https://virginiabeach.gov/connect/events/virginia-beach-state-of-the-city-2026
