Outside a precinct in Blacksburg, party volunteers handed out sample ballots Tuesday.
Redistricting meant new names on those sample ballots for many voters, and for some, a new polling place, including Blacksburg voter Bill King.
“Well, we just discovered we were in the wrong place and should have been in another location," King admitted. "So we’re going to go to the other location.”
Voters who were in the right place had a variety of reasons for casting a ballot. For Robert Howe of Blacksburg, two issues were important. “Funding for public education and support for gun control,” he said.
Support for schools was on the mind of teacher Sarah McConnell. “But then I also looked at funding at the whole state level, trying to make sure that we don’t have a funding issue in a couple of years as we start looking at governors at some point.”
Paul Mele of Blacksburg explained what he was looking for when picking candidates. "I’m looking for someone that can work with all types take inputs from all groups, collaborate across party lines, work for common sense solutions rather than striving to move ahead their own ideologies or their own interests."
For Leslie Murrill of the Glenvar section of Roanoke County electing candidates who back what she called biblical values was important. “For biblical values, for me that’s just going to mean following what God intended for us in terms of men and women and who they are and also protecting our unborn.”
Another Glenvar voter, Randy Hutchison, was supporting candidates who will pressure the federal government to reform immigration. "My main problem is the border, illegal immigrants coming in. I just can’t get it through my head why there’s laws on the books and these politicians can’t abide by the laws that they make."
Election officials say it could take longer to report results in close races this year. Absentee ballots now have to be processed by precinct. And now that same-day registration and voting are allowed, checking provisional ballots could take some time, especially in college towns.
Election Day turnout in many localities was light early in the day, though total turnout gets a boost when some 800,000 early votes get factored in. Turnout is higher in a few communities. In Richmond, where residents are also voting on a casino referendum, the city’s registrar said mid-day turnout was running ahead of projections.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.