Martinsville Bulletin, Inc.
P. O. Box 3711
204 Broad Street
Martinsville, Virginia 24115
276-638-8801
Toll Free: 800-234-6575
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Sunday, November 1, 2009
By DEBBIE HALL - Bulletin Staff Writer
Local registrars are encouraging voters to cast ballots in Tuesday’s election, but some predict only about half will.
Precincts will open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. in Henry and Patrick counties and the city of Martinsville.
Henry County Registrar Elizabeth Stone said she is hopeful “at least 50 percent” of the county’s 35,762 registered voters will go to the polls.
In the 2005 gubernatorial contest, Stone said turnout was 43.4 percent.
“That was a low turnout,” she said. “I’m hoping more people will vote” Tuesday.
The weather “could have an impact. If it is raining, voters may stay away,” Stone said.
However, meteorologists at the National Weather Center in Blacksburg predict Tuesday will be mostly sunny, with a high near 61.
Patrick Registrar Dianna Vipperman also expects about half the 11,891 registered voters will show up at the polls.
Nearly half, or about 46 percent, voted in the 2005 contest, she added.
Of the 9,077 registered voters in Martinsville, 46 percent also participated in the 2005 election, according to Registrar Ercell Cowan, who said she does not know how many city voters will turn out Tuesday.
Based on the number of absentee and/or in-person ballots, “I first thought we’d have a big turnout,” Cowan said.
Early Friday afternoon, 129 ballots had been received, compared to 130 in the 2005 election, Cowan said. But she has not ruled out the possibility of a big turnout.
“It’s hard to say,” ashe dded.
Stone said the 555 absentee ballots on hand as of Friday morning is about average for a general election.
In last year’s presidential race, Stone said nearly 3,000 absentee ballots were cast.
“That was not the normal (number), even for a presidential election,” she said.
Vipperman did not know the exact total, but estimated between 200 and 250 absentee ballots will be cast, based on the 100 collected and the 100 mailed by Friday morning.
There were 250 absentee ballots in the 2005 election and “more than 900” in the presidential election last year, she said.
Absentee ballots were accepted through Saturday at all three locations.
Registrars are not the only ones hoping voters turn out in force Tuesday.
Both gubernatorial candidates — Democratic State Sen. Creigh Deeds and Republican Bob McDonnell, a former attorney general — are encouraging supporters to go to the polls.
Also on the ballot is the lieutenant governor’s race between Republican incumbent Bill Bolling and Democrat Jody Wagner, and the attorney general’s race between Democrat Steve Shannon and Republican Ken Cuccinelli.
In the House of Delegates races, incumbent 10th District Del. Ward Armstrong, D-Collinsville, is running against political newcomer Ed Creed, a Claudville Republican; 14th District incumbent Del. Danny Marshall, R-Danville, is squaring off against Seward Anderson, a Danville Democrat.
Incumbent Don Merricks, R-Danville, is running unopposed in the 16th District.
There are few opposed local races, and none among candidates in Henry County.
Henry County Board of Supervisor candidates are Milton Kendall, Jim Adams and Joe Bryant. They are unopposed for the Iriswood, Blackberry and Collinsville seats, respectively.
The three incumbents seeking re-election to the school board are Curtis Millner Sr., Iriswood; Rudy Law, Blackberry; and Kathy Rogers, Collinsville.
One race of the three for constitutional offices in Martinsville is contested, with John Carter challenging incumbent Commissioner of the Revenue Ruth Easley.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Joan Ziglar, Sheriff Steve Draper and Treasurer Cindy Dickerson are unopposed.
There are two contested races for seats on the Patrick County Board of Supervisors: Roger Hayden and Janet Epperson are vying for the Dan River District seat, and write-in candidate Eugene Phillips is challenging incumbent Crystal Harris in the Smith River District.
Patrick school board races are unopposed, with incumbent Bobby Mangrum seeking re-election in the Smith River District and newcomer Quinn Brim seeking the Dan River post. |
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