Southwest Virginia voters head to the polls
Voters across the region turned out this morning to cast ballots that will decide who will be Virginia's next governor as well as to decide local races that will, among other things, determine who will serve on school boards and boards of supervisors.
The polls opened at 6 a.m. and will close at 7 p.m.
As of 10 a.m. in Botetourt County, about 16 percent of 23,199 registered voters had cast their ballots. Registrar Phyllis Booze said that the count of absentee ballots suggests that turnout for the 2013 election will likely be similar to turnout for the 2009 election, which also featured a gubernatorial race. That election saw voter turnout in Botetourt County of about 45 percent, Booze said.
Turnout numbers in Montgomery County, as of 10 a.m., showed that 12.9 percent of 58,906 registered voters had cast their ballots, according to Registrar Randy Wertz. Voters at six precincts are using an optical system that requires filling out a paper ballot and scanning them into the system, which provides a paper backup that computer ballots do not.
Roanoke County Registrar Judy Stokes reported that 15.37 percent of 67,224 registered voters had voted as of 10 a.m. "From what we're hearing from our precincts it's not super busy but it's steady," Stokes said.
Dana Oliver, registrar for Salem, said that about 15 percent of 16,567 registered voters had cast ballots as of 10 a.m. Oliver said the absentee ballot count suggests that total turnout for the 2013 election "will be up some" since the gubernatorial election in 2009, when turnout was 44.16 percent.
In Roanoke, turnout as of 10 a.m. was 11.3 percent of 61,673 registered voters. Deputy Registrar Deirdre Martin said the office had not heard of any significant snags at city precincts. She said there was, instead, "typical election day stuff," such as people not being sure where they were registered to vote and a few "quirky (voting) machines that were cranky in the morning."
In Franklin County, where there are several contested races locally, 14.8 percent of 35,127 registered voters had cast ballots as of 11:30 a.m.
Voter turnout light but steady
As of 10 a.m., voter turnout was 8.77 percent at polling places in Prince William County, according to the county Office of Elections.
Top five precincts in voter turnout (so far) are listed below. Next report due at 3 p.m.
1. Kilby: 19.45 percent
2. Marshall: 16.16 percent
3. McCoart: 15.69 percent
4. Signal Hill: 15.10 percent
5. Washington/Reid: 14.4 percent