Voters arrived at the polls in slow but steady streams throughout Tuesday as Williamsburg-area residents cast their ballots for state and local races.
At stake in Virginia’s off-year elections is control of the top three statewide offices of governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general; the General Assembly’s House of Delegates; and constitutional offices in cities across the commonwealth.
In James City County, residents voted for supervisors and school board members in the Jamestown and Powhatan districts.
Tuesday morning, party volunteers at Lafayette High School, one of the county’s precincts, described the flow of voters as a steady trickle.
Voters cast their ballots at James City County’s Office of Elections on Tuesday. James W. Robinson/The Virginia Gazette
Katherine Preston, who was handing out sample ballots near the Democratic tent, surmised that the likely reason for the slow stream of voters was that most constituents had already voted. The Virginia Public Access Project reported that early voting in the state’s 71st House district, which includes Williamsburg and large portions of James City County, was the highest in the state.
The 69th District, where other Historic Triangle voters cast ballots, was third for early voting turnout, according to the VPAP.
Prior to Tuesday, Williamsburg had a 30% turnout between early voting and by mail, said director of elections Tina Reitzel. By mid-afternoon, turnout in James City County was only slightly less than it was for last year’s election.
By early afternoon, everything was going smoothly at James City County’s Office of Elections, assistant general registrar Robert Stephens said.
Along with residents visiting to cast votes, school board candidate Ty Hodges and supervisor candidates John Slokovitz and Tracy Wainwright, all political newcomers, were seen campaigning outside county precincts.
Williamsburg-James City County School Board incumbent Sarah Ortego speaks to voter DeLeticia Edmonds outside the county voting center on Tuesday. James W. Robinson/The Virginia Gazette
Stephens said Election Day is critically important for a community.
“Everything that happens is determined by who gets in office, and who gets in office is determined by the voters that come out on Election Day,” he said. “If you don’t vote, you don’t get a say.”
Staff writer James W. Robinson and correspondents Natalie Miller Moore and Ben Swenson contributed to this story.
Kim O’Brien Root, 757-603-3671, kimberly.root@virginiamedia.com
“I Voted” stickers wait for voters at the James City County Office of Elections. James W. Robinson/The Virginia Gazette
