The last time there was a state house race in Newport News it ended in a perfect tie. The winner was chosen by drawing a name randomly from a bowl.
Now, two years later, the race is a rematch. But are people paying attention?
Mary Vause has lived in Newport News pretty much her whole life. She’s a preschool teacher by day and a Democratic activist by night. With a laugh, she says her state delegate Republican David Yancey won “by zero votes.”
“So we’ve got a good shot this time,” she says.
This evening, Vause is handing out yard signs for Democrat Shelly Simonds. This race will be the third time Simonds has taken on Yancey.
Friend and fellow activist Heather Marconi is trying to keep her expectations low.
"Just because I’ve been invested in this race for so long. And I want to be pleasantly surprised,” says Marconi.
The district lines have changed since the last time Simonds and Yancey went head to head, because of a court ordered redistricting plan. The new lines favor Democrats.
But this is an off year election. Without any federal or statewide races on the ballot, turnout tends to be under 30-percent. That has Marconi worried.
“I hope that voters are more engaged. But after spending a lot of time in the community, calling people, I don’t know,” she says hesitantly.
Without public polling, political watchers are left to divination. Vause and Marconi notice yard signs, and how many canvassers are out in the neighborhoods.
One positive sign for them? Voter Jason Ingram.
Ingram voted for Republican David Yancey multiple times, but this year he plans on supporting Simonds. His daughter is in 4th grade and funding for public schools is his top priority.
“Change is good sometimes,” says Ingram.
And while he vaguely remembers that this race was tied two years ago, he says that has little bearing on his vote this time around.
“What’s done is done,” he says.
Other voters in the district had no recollection that this race had been decided by random drawing. That amnesia doesn’t surprise political scientist Quentin Kidd. He works at Christopher Newport University, which is in the district.
“Remember what (voters) have to wade through in order to remember that, all the stuff that’s been going on in national politics. A federal election that’s happened since then,” says Kidd. “If you’re not into politics, why would you remember?”
One woman who didn’t want to give her name, shrugs her shoulders when asked if she’ll vote. Smoking a cigarette outside a diner at lunchtime, she says she stays as far away from politics as possible.
“I just don’t trust politicians. They make promises. They don’t keep them. That’s it.”
Driving around this tiny district and you’d hardly know it’s the site of one of the most competitive races in the state. For more than twenty miles of neighborhood streets there were fewer than thirty yard signs for the two state house candidates. Most were for the Republican David Yancey.
Chris Arnold had one in his lawn.
He’s a fiscal conservative and abortion rights opponent. Although, he stresses, he really tries to avoid politics altogether.
“I don’t get too worked up about the race one way or another because, it’s terrible to say, but I don’t feel like anyone’s going to make that much of a difference,” says Arnold.
Still, he plans on voting. And when he does he’ll be one of the Virginians deciding not just who wins this race, but whether Republicans or Democrats control Virginia’s legislature.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
