Va. voters face slate of choices
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Voters will head to polling places across Virginia today to choose the state’s next governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and a host of local officials.
Atop today’s ballot will be Democratic gubernatorial nominee Sen. R. Creigh Deeds and GOP nominee Bob McDonnell.
Deeds is a state senator from Bath County who has represented most of the Charlottesville region since 2002. McDonnell most recently served as Virginia’s attorney general and was previously a state delegate from Virginia Beach.
Bill Bolling, a Republican from Hanover County, is seeking another term as Virginia’s lieutenant governor. Challenging Bolling is Jody Wagner, a Democrat from Virginia Beach who served in top finance posts in the administrations of Govs. Timothy M. Kaine and Mark R. Warner.
Republican Ken Cuccinelli is up against Democrat Steve Shannon in the race for the attorney general’s office. Cuccinelli is a lawyer and state senator from Fairfax County. Shannon is a former prosecutor and member of the House of Delegates from Fairfax County.
Polling places will open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Election results will be posted this evening at the State Board of Elections’ Web site, http://www.sbe.virginia.gov.
Voters heading to the polls today must bring a government- or employer-issued identification card. Those without identification may sign an “affirmation of identity” statement.
To check voter registration status or to find the location of a polling place, go to http://www.voterinfo.sbe.virginia.gov.
Voting precincts across Virginia, including all of those in Charlottesville and Albemarle County, will have hand sanitizer and wipes on hand to prevent the spread of influenza.
Voters should expect fairly pleasant weather today, as the forecast is calling for a partly sunny day with highs in the lower 60s.
Election officials are expecting some lines during peak times at polling places today, though nothing like last year’s presidential election.
In addition to the statewide elections, many local positions across the region — including three seats on the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors and two seats on Charlottesville’s City Council — will be up for election.
Both Albemarle’s board and Charlottesville’s council will see the addition of at least one new member.
Five candidates are running to fill the two seats on Charlottesville’s council. Mayor Dave Norris, a Democrat, is seeking re-election. Also on the ballot will be independents Bob Fenwick and Paul Long and Democrat Kristin Szakos. Andrew Williams, an independent, is running as a write-in candidate.
For the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, Democrat Madison Cummings, independent John Lowry and Republican Duane Snow are running for the Samuel Miller District seat, which is being vacated by Sally H. Thomas; and Republican Rodney S. Thomas is challenging Democratic incumbent David L. Slutzky for the Rio District seat. Dennis S. Rooker, an independent who represents the Jack Jouett District, is unopposed for re-election.
All localities in the Charlottesville area will elect members of local governing boards. Some will also elect constitutional officers, including a contested race for sheriff in Charlottesville.All 100 seats of the House of Delegates are also up for election.
Five of the Charlottesville region’s six House seats are being contested today.
Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle County, is being challenged by Democrat Cynthia Neff in the 58th District, which includes parts of Albemarle, Fluvanna and Orange counties, as well as all of Greene County.
Del. David J. Toscano, D-Charlottesville, will face independent candidate Robert Brandon Smith III in the 57th District, which includes Charlottesville and six Albemarle precincts west and northwest of the city.
Del. R. Steve Landes, R-Weyers Cave, is up against Democratic challenger Greg Marrow in the 25th District, which includes the Crozet area of Albemarle County.
Del. Edward T. Scott, R-Culpeper, is facing independent Matthew A. Carson in the 30th District, which includes Madison and Culpeper counties and part of Orange County.
Del. Bill Janis, R-Glen Allen, is being challenged by Democrat James O. Towey in the 56th District, which includes Louisa County.
Del. Watkins M. Abbitt Jr., I-Appomattox, is uncontested for re-election in the 59th District, which includes Buckingham and Nelson counties, as well as parts of southwestern Albemarle County and eastern Fluvanna County.
Reader Reactions
I predict that only the Fascists in bib overalls will be happy with their choice for a ruling junta. Ladies, break out your burkas.
Considering that ignorance is bliss, we should be feeling pretty blissful right now. Personally, the Republicans ran a much stronger ticket at the top, and they won—at the end of the day, that’s hardly the Dark Ages. We get to see how the new Governor governs, and with some luck, he’ll be better than Allen and help us forget Gillmore. Face, Creigh was no Mark Warner.
No, the real disappointment, is that erstwhile Republicans won two seats on the BOS. That will have ahuge impact on the local scene, and possibly set us back twenty years or more, fiscally and socially. Well, I always say, if you can’t join ‘em, f ‘em.
The moral of the story, you get the government you deserve. We elected an experienced junkyard dog in Obama, and now are surprised that he’s neither trained nor housebroken. Soon we’ll discover that zero-based budgeting really means that Snow, Thomas, and Boyd know zero about budgeting. The fat cats in the county can rest easy on their plantations, the rest of us have been put in our place—no taxes if you own land, no fees if you are a developer, no education if you can’t afford a private school, and God forbid if you have no home, no job, no food—take a hike. And those audacious enough to live in the urban ring, earn a moderate income, run a business—tax the bejesus out of us—it works for the Beltway Bandits, why not here in Albemarle? Ah, the great middle class—screwed on both ends, by both sides.
sigh
It would appear that the plague and the Republicans are ushering in a new Dark Age for Virginia.
So I’m wondering who David Toscano is - he was on the ballot as a candidate for Delegate - apparently he’s the incumbent but until today I haven’t seen nor heard hide nor hair from him. I wrote-in Mickey Mouse - at least I see him occasionally on TV and I think I know his position on Cheese.
Thanks Daily Progress for hosting this forum for interaction, as silly as it gets some times. Until 2010.
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