Primary Day is finally here; Overall vote expected to be light to moderate
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
PETERSBURG – All of the primary hoopla and drama ends Tuesday as voters across the area go to the polls to pick party nominees for the November legislative elections.
Of the 47 contested primaries across Virginia this season, one of the most closely watched is right here in the Tri-City area where Democrats are hoping to shore up not just their slim majority in the state Senate but also their pro-choice platform. Challenger Lashrecse Aird, a former member of the House of Delegates and a vocal champion for reproductive rights, is battling incumbent pro-life Democrat Joe Morrissey in a race many see as a chance for the party to stem the recent tide of anti-abortion legislation that has been sweeping through the South.
Despite that attention, turnout Tuesday was expected to be light to moderate, with much of that depending upon the weather. Showers are expected to move in later Tuesday afternoon, and that could dampen the numbers a bit.
By noon Tuesday 3.2% of the city’s registered voters had come through Petersburg’s seven polling stations. When the early and absentee votes are factored in, Wilmoth said that translates into about a 12.2% total turnout for the primary, which she deemed as “light.”
Petersburg has 23,558 voters (about the seating capacity of Madison Square Garden in New York) eligible to take part in the primary, which, even though it is a Democratic primary, is open to supporters of all political persuasions.
During the early voting period that ended Saturday, Wilmoth said Petersburg logged 2,092 pre-primary and absentee ballots. That also is light to moderate, but not unexpected.
“June elections are during graduations and vacations,” Wilmoth said. “They’re just off to the side burner.”
Waiting in the November wings for the Morrissey vs. Aird winner is Republican challenger Eric Ditri of Prince George County. Ditri was the only GOP candidate; therefore, he won the party nomination.
In addition to the Morrissey-Aird contest, races of interest on local ballots include the 82nd House of Delegates Democratic primary between Victor McKenzie Jr. of Petersburg and Kimberly Pope Adams of Dinwiddie County. The winner of that primary goes on to face freshman Republican incumbent Kim Taylor of Dinwiddie, who was unopposed for the nomination.
Across the Appomattox River in Colonial Heights and parts of Chesterfield County, Republican incumbent Amanda Chase is trying to stave off challengers Glen Sturtevant and Tina Ramirez in Virginia’s only GOP primary where the incumbent is being opposed. The winner will square off with unopposed Democratic candidate Natan McKenzie.
Tuesday’s elections are the first under Virginia’s redrawn legislative districts, a procedure that is done every decade based on population-count changes.
Locally, both House and Senate districts were realigned. The 82nd extends from Dinwiddie to Surry counties, and includes Petersburg and Prince George County. The 13th Senate District is a crescent-moon shaped area running from eastern Dinwiddie to eastern Henrico County. It includes Petersburg, Hopewell, Prince George, Charles City, Surry and Sussex counties.
Polls close at 7 p.m. sharp. However, if you are in line by 7 p.m., you still will be allowed to vote.
Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on Twitter at @BAtkinson_PI.
This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Voters go to the polls Tuesday in expected light numbers
