Residents of Henrico County's Brookland District wait in line outside Hungary Creek Middle School. (Photo by Tina Eshleman)
Casting their ballots at Hanover County's Elmont Elementary School soon after polls opened at 6 a.m. Tuesday were two voters who represent the diametrically opposed viewpoints of many Americans in today's polarized political climate.
On one side was Judy Gammon, who says she wants "to keep the country like it's going." She says issues such as immigration, taxes and jobs motivated her to vote for Republicans such as 1st District U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman and U.S. Senate candidate Corey Stewart.
Sandra Howard, who helped put up signs for U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Democratic congressional candidate Vangie Williams after voting, sees it differently.
Hanover County resident Sandra Howard supports Democratic candidates. (Photo by Taylor Mills)
"I pray that the Democrats win and we can change what’s going on here," says Howard. "Republicans are just drowning us, killing us, taking everything from us." She says she is motivated to vote by concerns about racism and by issues including health care, taxes and education. "You name it, I’m concerned about it."
Polling sites around the region were seeing strong turnout Tuesday morning. At 701 N. 25th St. in Church Hill, more than 800 people had voted by 10 a.m.
"I think we're seeing upward trends in the last several years that young people are more and more motivated," says Gerica Goodman, who works with the advocacy organization Virginia21 and was handing out sample ballots. "These aren't just issues that affect your future, but the decisions being made at the federal level and state and local level — even school board races — are affecting our daily lives, so we need to get out there and make sure our voices are heard and votes count."
Gerica Goodman works for Virginia21, an organization that encourages young people to vote. (Photo by Sarah King)
Goodman says she is supporting immigration lawyer Bryce Robertson, who is running for Richmond School Board's 7th District seat against Cheryl Burke, who was appointed to the position last fall, and community organizer Gary Broderick.
"I'm thinking about settling and starting a family in Richmond, so the state of the schools in Richmond is very important to me, and I think Bryce has some great ideas about it."
Church Hill resident Robert Burton says he's voting for Democrats to provide a counterbalance to the national political power structure.
"I've only been back in town for about four months," he says. "I was teaching English overseas — so for me the big thing is counteracting some of this craziness I'm seeing."
In Henrico County, Allison Walker talked about the election while waiting to vote at Hungary Creek Middle School.
"This is a midterm, and it feels like a presidential election," Walker says. Wearing a sticker for Dan Schmitt, a Republican candidate for the Brookland District seat on the county Board of Supervisors, Walker described herself as a registered independent who is concerned about "fiscal responsibility, health care and our own U.S. interests, both foreign and domestic." She says she hopes the result of the election, regardless of outcome, will be marked by "civility [and] respect for each other."
Lois Gibbs, another Henrico voter, says she also supports Schmitt, as part of a straight Republican ticket. Voting is important, she adds. "That's why I'm here."
Joan Glover, the widow of longtime Brookland District Supervisor Richard (Dick) Glover, greeted voters at the middle school with a pitch for Schmitt, noting, "Dick appointed him to the [Capital Region] Airport Commission for Henrico. The minute he met Dan, he said, ‘That’s the guy I want to take my place because he’s so smart.’ "
Joan Glover assists with Dan Schmitt's campaign for the Henrico Board of Supervisors, alongside Jamie Reed and his son Brad. (Photo by Tina Eshleman)
Bruce Lawson, a retired mailroom worker for Reynolds Metals voting at Hungary Creek, says he supports Kaine and 7th District congressional candidate Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat who is challenging incumbent Republican Rep. Dave Brat. "She seems like a person, [judging] from the advertising [that I saw], that she will get the job done," he says, adding that he's met her parents. A top issue for him is voting rights, he says. "Everybody should have the right to vote."
Spanberger's mother-in-law, Sharon Spanberger, and sister-in-law, Lisa Hollar, were also working at the polling site. "We’re pretty excited," Sharon Spanberger says. "I think it’s going to work.”
At the Southside Baptist Church in Chesterfield County, 1,350 people had voted by 11:30 a.m.
"I think the most important issue here is bringing decency back into our society, and people are concerned about outrageous statements and actions that are affecting families and communities," says Marni Pilafian, a Democratic Party volunteer handing out sample ballots there.
Scott Miles, the Democratic candidate in the race for Chesterfield County commonwealth's attorney opposite Republican John Childrey, was on hand to greet prospective voters,
"It's really encouraging to see so many people out," he says, "... and to see people outside, lines snaking across church properties and school properties and sharing their umbrellas with each other and nobody tempted to go home — everybody's really committed to casting their vote."