Virginia Democrats smashed the primary early voting record going into Tuesday’s primary election.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger helped rally voters at her alma mater, J.R. Tucker High School, Tuesday evening.
“I love Virginia, I’m proud to call it my home. And that’s why I’m in this race,” Spanberger told the crowd packed into the atrium of the Henrico County High School. “And that’s why I need your help for the next 140 days.”
Virginia Democrats will pick one of six candidates for Lt. Governor and one of two for Attorney General. The winner after Tuesday, pending a close vote and a trickle of mail in ballots due Friday, will face former conservative talk show host John Reid and incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares on the Republican side.
But Spanberger's party will open polls Tuesday with nearly 200,000 early votes already cast, some 70,000 more than the previous record set in 2023.
Henrico-area State Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg was part of the law change that created the permanent absentee voter list which automatically mails voters a ballot for each race. He said it played a large part in the new record.
"It's a sign the voting reforms Democrats passed in 2020, 21, are working," he said. "We made it easier to access the ballot."
He also said messaging around housing affordability and promoting "a community where everybody can thrive,” played a part.
"They’re also fed up with the nonsense they’re seeing in DC,” he said of Democratic voters.
As for Spanberger, she got herself a tour bus and will be, “Span-ning Virginia,” before she faces off against Current Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, the Republican Gubernatorial candidate in November’s election.
Polls open at 6 AM and close at 7 PM. You can find your polling location by visiting Elections.virginia.gov.
All mailed in early ballots must be postmarked with Tuesday’s date and at the registrar’s office by Friday to be counted.
