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.
โWeโre surprised at the turnout,โ Deputy Chief Election Officer Harold Crowder said. โAll of our booths kept full.โ @ProgressIndex ๐บ๐ธ @ChesterfieldVa #vote #chesterva pic.twitter.com/uIstqlH7UP
— Kristi K. Higgins ๐ฆ (@KHiggins_PI) November 7, 2023
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.
L to R, Officers of Election Chris Griffin and Sabrina Thornton wait to assist curbside voters at Chester United Methodist Church. @ProgressIndex ๐บ๐ธ @ChesterfieldVa #vote pic.twitter.com/05nHJQKEAl
— Kristi K. Higgins ๐ฆ (@KHiggins_PI) November 7, 2023
5:13 p.m.
As the sun sets, campaign signs hope to draw attention as voters arrive to #ChesterUnitedMethodistChurch to #vote. @ProgressIndex ๐บ๐ธ @ChesterfieldVa pic.twitter.com/cYslJ642Jg
— Kristi K. Higgins ๐ฆ (@KHiggins_PI) November 7, 2023
4 p.m.
โVoting allows us the freedom to select our leaders. I immigrated from Cuba. This is a great country to live inโ - Eduardo Alvarez @ProgressIndex ๐บ๐ธ @ColHeightsVA #vote pic.twitter.com/ywLZkAGENn
— Kristi K. Higgins ๐ฆ (@KHiggins_PI) November 7, 2023
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."
Assistant Chief Election Officer Kayla Singleton assists Daniel Courtois with curbside voting. @ProgressIndex ๐บ๐ธ @ColHeightsVA #vote pic.twitter.com/XF3MRoMxeS
— Kristi K. Higgins ๐ฆ (@KHiggins_PI) November 7, 2023
2:30 p.m.
Third-grade student Gerred Hand Jr. informed the @ProgressIndex he had the day off from Matoaca Elementary School so people could vote. He spent quality time with his dad at Keystone ๐ป and ๐ Museum in @ColHeightsVA @ChesterfieldVa #vote
๐บ๐ธโค๏ธ๐ค๐๐บ๐ธ @ccpsinfo pic.twitter.com/4iOXU47wBB— Kristi K. Higgins ๐ฆ (@KHiggins_PI) November 7, 2023
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.
At Keystone Grill, Martha Burton proudly wears an โI Votedโ sticker designed by Dinwiddie High School junior Eric Edwards. @ProgressIndex ๐บ๐ธ @Din_CoSchools @DinwiddieInfo #Vote2023 #contestwinner pic.twitter.com/f0IR1UrX1P
— Kristi K. Higgins ๐ฆ (@KHiggins_PI) November 7, 2023
โItโs our constitutional right to vote and free to do so. You canโt complain if you donโt do itโ - Phoebeโs human companion Tiffany Firesheets of @ColHeightsVA @ProgressIndex ๐บ๐ธ #Vote2023 pic.twitter.com/KigmN71muL
— Kristi K. Higgins ๐ฆ (@KHiggins_PI) November 7, 2023
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.
โVoting is part of our civic duty. Itโs something that keeps us involved in whatโs going on around us in our society, country and world. When youโre active, you have a chance to help yourself, your family, community and those in needโ - Christian Miller @ProgressIndex ๐บ๐ธ #vote pic.twitter.com/tjCMNRLR9V
— Kristi K. Higgins ๐ฆ (@KHiggins_PI) November 7, 2023
11:59 a.m.
A sign posted on the door of the @PetersburgV Registrars Office. @ProgressIndex ๐บ๐ธ #VoteRed or #VoteBlue Go #vote ๐ฉท๐ค๐ pic.twitter.com/JHYxR1pXlB
— Kristi K. Higgins ๐ฆ (@KHiggins_PI) November 7, 2023
11:43 a.m.
Popped into the @PetersburgV Registrars Office. Voters are dropping off absentee ballots. I voted early in @ChesterfieldVa. @ProgressIndex ๐บ๐ธ #vote ๐ธ Roman Buhler pic.twitter.com/sIz8zjoIgR
— Kristi K. Higgins ๐ฆ (@KHiggins_PI) November 7, 2023
11:17 a.m.
โItโs the democratic process. If you have a complaint or a concern, itโs the way to bridge the gaps, and there are gapsโ - Vincent Brown of @PetersburgV @ProgressIndex ๐บ๐ธ #vote pic.twitter.com/W8HvSZoYjC
— Kristi K. Higgins ๐ฆ (@KHiggins_PI) November 7, 2023
Mona Harrison proudly wears her โI Voted Todayโ @PrinceGeorgeVa sticker. @ProgressIndex ๐บ๐ธ #vote pic.twitter.com/wvGabVssb6
— Kristi K. Higgins ๐ฆ (@KHiggins_PI) November 7, 2023
Fifth cup of #coffee Iโll be a fast talker on the election beat! ๐#vote2023 ๐บ๐ธ @PetersburgV #dixierestaurant pic.twitter.com/QnwPPcTIif
— Kristi K. Higgins ๐ฆ (@KHiggins_PI) November 7, 2023
10:29 a.m.
L to R, friends Bill Lee of Chester, Mona and Bob Harrison of Prince George and Bob Covington of Colonial Heights enjoy breakfast at Dixie Restaurant after they voted. @ProgressIndex ๐บ๐ธ @PetersburgV pic.twitter.com/b1cNd115hZ
— Kristi K. Higgins ๐ฆ (@KHiggins_PI) November 7, 2023
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."
L to R, Petersburg High School seniors Raleigh Swarn and Prophet Simms earn A.P. Government extra credit for volunteering at the Union Train Station polling site. @ProgressIndex ๐บ๐ธ @PetersburgV @Pburg_Schools pic.twitter.com/Mozuom6rl4
— Kristi K. Higgins ๐ฆ (@KHiggins_PI) November 7, 2023
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.
โThis is my community. I was actually born and raised here in Blandford. Iโve traveled abroad and come back. There are a lot of changes that need to be made, and voting is the first place to startโ - Mellaney Gordon @ProgressIndex ๐บ๐ธ @PetersburgV pic.twitter.com/Vlla9kTXHA
— Kristi K. Higgins ๐ฆ (@KHiggins_PI) November 7, 2023
9 a.m.
Campaign signs line the sidewalk in front of Blandford Academy in Petersburg. @ProgressIndex ๐บ๐ธ pic.twitter.com/rzBKD3Mz7e
— Kristi K. Higgins ๐ฆ (@KHiggins_PI) November 7, 2023
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.
Exercise your right to vote today! @ProgressIndex ๐บ๐ธ pic.twitter.com/T16sCShKbX
— Kristi K. Higgins ๐ฆ (@KHiggins_PI) November 7, 2023
7:37 a.m.
โI vote all the time, every election. I think things need to be changed,โ Wayne Wrigglesworth said at Patrick Copeland Elementary School in Hopewell. @ProgressIndex ๐บ๐ธ pic.twitter.com/9ktUZrymA6
— Kristi K. Higgins ๐ฆ (@KHiggins_PI) November 7, 2023
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