Election Day 2023 Blog: The Tri-City area goes to the polls

All of the campaigning comes to a head Tuesday as voters across the Tri-City area head to the polls in what could be some crucial elections at both the state and local levels. Check back frequently for details as they become available.

7 p.m.

The polls are closed. Now, the waiting begins.

6:51 p.m.

With just minutes to go before the polls close in Petersburg, total voter turnout as of 6 p.m. was slightly ahead of where it was four years ago, city registrar Dawn Wilmoth said. This year as of 6 p.m., 30.3% of voter base had cast ballots; in 2019, that same number was slightly higher than 29%.

That total includes the 14.6% of voters who took advantage of the 45-day early voting period Sept. 22-Nov. 4.

5:53 p.m.

5:23 p.m.

At Chester United Methodist Church, chief election officer Sabrina Thornton called the day "a nice turnout" for curbside voters.

"In the four years I've been doing this, over 20 is a good amount," Thornton said.

5:13 p.m.

4 p.m.

3:57 p.m.

With less than four hours to go before the polls close, Petersburg has finally made it into double-digit percentage of Election Day turnout.

As of 3 p.m., according to registrar Dawn Wilmoth, 10.5% of the city voting base had visited their polling place. That still is less than the percentage who cast ballots during the 45-day early voting period, 14.6%.

When all is said and done, it appears that one out of every four Petersburg voters cast ballots in what many had projected.

"It's OK," Wilmoth said of the turnout. "Similar to 2019 [the last time all 140 General Assembly seats were on the ballots]."

Of great concern, however, was the return to Tabernacle Life Center in Ward 5 of a deejay who earlier had attempted to set up a spot to play rap music at the entrance to the polling place and was turned away. This time, Wilmoth said he was trying to set up at the farthest point away from the polling entrance when election officers told him he had to leave.

3:42 p.m.

In Colonial Heights, resident Daniel Courtois got a little help voting atatide in front of the Colonial Heights High School Vocational Center.

"I'm very happy about curbside voting," Courtois said. "I have a bad back, COPD and will be going to the heart doctor soon. I can only walk a short distance before losing my breath."

2:30 p.m.

2:26 p.m.

Voter turnout continues to be light across the area. By lunchtime, roughly 7% of Petersburg's eligible voters had turned out. registrar Dawn Wilmoth said. She described the turnout as "lighter" than she had projected.

A quick tour of Petersburg's sites around mid-day bore that out, with little to no voters being seen heading in or out of the polls.

Numbers in Hopewell were also lighter than anticipated, Hopewell registrar Norman Shelton said.

12:37 p.m.

Christian Miller, a resident of Petersburg's Ward 5, took advantage of Tuesday afternoon's springlike temperatures to ride his bicycle to the polling station at Tabernacle Life Center on Halifax Street.

11:59 a.m.

11:43 a.m.

11:17 a.m.

10:29 a.m.

10:13 a.m.

Election Day is a day off for Petersburg public school students, but that does not mean it is a day off from learning something.

Raleigh Swarn and Prophet Simms are two Petersburg High School seniors volunteering for duty at the Ward 4 precinct at Petersburg's Union Station. By doing so, they are earning credit for their A.P. Government class.

Both young men say voting is important.

"Even if you don't think it matters, every vote adds up," Swarn said. Added Simms, "One vote can change the course of an election."

9:31 a.m.

Overall voter turnout in Petersburg is lower than four years ago, registrar Dawn Wilmoth tells The Progress-Index.

By 9 a.m., the city was reported a rate of 3.3%, compared to 5.8% in 2019, the last time all 140 seats in the Virginia General Assembly were contested.

9:17 a.m.

9 a.m.

8:33 a.m.

So far, so good in Petersburg for voting, city registrar Dawn Wilmoth tells The Progress-Index. "It looks kind of slow to me," she said.

Wilmoth said the only issue thus far involved a group that tried to set up speakers and play rap music at the entrance to the Ward 6 precinct at Cool Spring Elementary School in Petersburg. Wilmoth said she contacted Petersburg Police Monday night after word surfaced through social media that the group was planning to set up loudspeakers at three polling places in the city.

Under Virginia law, no one can set up any kind of display or stage an event within 40 feet of the entrance to a place of voting.

Shortly after the polls opened at 6 a.m., the group showed up at Cool Spring as advertised, but Police Chief Travis Christian told them they had to move. The group eventually left without any incident, and normal voting resumed.

8:18 a.m.

7:41 a.m.

7:37 a.m.

7:30 a.m.

Susan VanNess, chief election officer in Hopewell, calls early turnout "steady but slow, which is pretty normal for not being a presidential election

6 a.m.

Polls are now open.

More: Intriguing local and state races aside, early turnout across the area didn't exceed two years ago

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Election Day 2023 Blog: The Tri-City area goes to the polls