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Absentee balloting already up 14 percent from comparable race in 2003
Write-in school board race adds twist
Polls open Tuesday 6 a.m.
From staff reports
Polls open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. tomorrow for voters deciding contests for
the General Assembly, sheriff, school board, county supervisors and
constitutional officers.
Halifax County Registrar Judy Meeler said absentee voting — often a
good indicator of overall voter turnout — was running about as expected
in an off year. By Saturday's 5 p.m. in-person deadline, 212 absentee
ballots had been turned in, up 14 percent from 2003, the last off-year
election that also featured school board and sheriff races. That year,
about 4,900 citizens cast votes.
Meeler's office stayed open all day Saturday, Oct. 27, as well as this
past Saturday so citizens could file absentee ballots. This past
Saturday alone, she picked up 22 walk-in votes. Meeler said late
Saturday that if voters had an "emergency situation," such as having
been hospitalized or called to work out of town on Tuesday, that she
could accept walk-in absentee votes up until 2 p.m. today (Monday).
Initially, absentee requests had been especially brisk, but as the
election neared, they slacked off to a more typical number, she said.
While the deadline to vote absentee in person was Saturday, mailed
ballots still will be accepted until 7 p.m. on Election Day, and could
further inflate the percentage.
Adding a twist to this election is that one race is based solely on
write-ins. The Election District 5 School Board race has no candidate
on the ballot; incumbent Nancylee Bagwell never publicly announced her
intentions to step down, and no candidate filed by the deadline. Hence,
two men — Roger Long and Robert Wazeka Jr. — are vying for the spot
hoping voters won't be too put off by the write-in procedure.
"It's not a difficult process at all," said Meeler.
In every race, except U.S. President, there's always a write-in
provision. Tap the word "write-in" and a typewriter-like keyboard
appears. Spell the name and correct letter by letter with a backspace
key if necessary. The name typed will appear onscreen. When finished,
tap "write-in complete."
And what about spelling? "Long" is easy enough, but suppose "Wazeka"
isn't spelled exactly right?
As long as the voter's intent is clear, Meeler said, the vote counts.
Anyone having difficulty with a write-in vote may ask their poll worker
for assistance, Meeler said, although poll workers cannot actually
enter the voting booth with them.
While a write-in provision is necessary only in the school board race
in Election District 5 (which covers an eastern slice of South Boston
and a stripe of Halifax County to the Mecklenburg County line), voters
in other races may also use the write-in option.
There are two other school board races where there is competition. In
ED#4 South Boston businessman Joe Gasperini is challenging incumbent
trustee Joe Bailey for his seat and in ED#7 challenger Stuart Comer is
challenging incumbent Sandra Rister. In ED# 8 Walter Potts is the only
candidate for the seat currently held by Kelly Hill, who is not seeking
re-election.
Meeler expects smooth sailing — after all, the VRE touch-screen
machines have been in use here since 2004 — but there have been kinks
switching to the new central voter-registration system for the State
Board of Elections, something Meeler called the "brains" of Virginia's
voting system.
The state, which has had computerized voting for about 30 years, used
federal funding that became available after the 2000 presidential
election to install a new system.
The new Unisys system cost about $12 million. It was completed this
past spring and given its first real-world test during the June
primary.
But because Halifax County did not hold a primary, the system hasn't
been tested here.
Halifax County voter turnout is unlikely to be as high as last
November, when a hot U.S. Senate race dominated the picture. Then,
about 10,700 of the county's 21,200 registered voters went to the
polls.
The race that has generated the most interest apparently from readers
responses is that of the sheriff's race where incumbent Jeff Oakes is
facing challenger Stanley Noblin. Another race involves the election of
a state senator from the 15th district where Clarksville Mayor Rob
Wilkerson is challenging incumbent Republican Senator Frank Ruff.
For the Halifax County Board of Supervisors five incumbents are seeking
re-election with none having opposition. Seeking another term are ED#1
Supervisor R.E. "Dickie" Abbott, ED#4 Supervisor Doug Bowman, ED#5
Supervisor James Edmunds, ED#7 Supervisor Lottie Nunn and ED#8
Supervisor William Bryant Claiborne.
Also running unopposed is Delegate Clarke Hogan, Clerk of Court Bobby
Conner, Commonwealth's Attorney Kim Slayton White, County Treasurer
Linda Foster and Commissioner of the Revenue Brenda Powell.