Voter turnout likely to be low this year
Published 1:03 pm Saturday, November 2, 2013
FRANKLIN—The three registrars for Western Tidewater aren’t expecting a notable turnout when voters go to the polls for Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Southampton County Voter Registrar Peggy Davis said she has no idea what the turnout will be like that day.
Lisa Betterton, general registrar for Isle of Wight County, said her office is predicting a 40 percent turnout for voting.
Jennifer Maynard, the registrar for Franklin, said she’s heard conflicting reports in other media sources predicting as high as 40 percent.
“I can just base it on absentee voting, but it’s not going to be a high voter turnout,” said Maynard.
“I hope people vote,” she added.
The major race this year in Virginia is for governorship. Democrat Terry McAuliffe, who’s never held an office of any kind, faces Republican Ken Cuccinelli II, who has been attorney general under Gov. Bob McDonnell’s administration. Libertarian Robert Sarvis is challenging the two men for the office.
Incumbents Franklin City Treasurer Dinah Babb and Franklin Commissioner of Revenue Brenda Rickman are each running unopposed.
In Isle of Wight, Rudolph Jefferson of Smithfield is the only person wanting the Hardy District seat for the Board of Supervisors, which belongs to JoAnn Hall, chairwoman; she announced earlier this year not to run again.
Incumbents Rex Alphin and Robert Eley are each unopposed for the Carrsville seats on the supervisors and school board, respectively.
Herb DeGroft, who has the Hardy District seat on the school board, changed his mind this past summer in seeking reelection. This came after the public revelation of controversial emails that he and Newport District Supervisor Byron “Buzz” Bailey had privately shared with co-workers. Both men were repeatedly asked to resign, but would not do so.
Alvin Webster Wilson and Tina Louise Hill, both of Smithfield, are vying for DeGroft’s chair when his term expires at year’s end.
Incumbent Del. Roslyn C. Tyler, a Democrat, is challenged for the 75th District seat by Republican Alvin L. Peschke. The district includes Isle of Wight, Southampton and Franklin.
Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
For a list of polling places, visit the following websites:
http://www.co.isle-of-wight.va.us/voter-registration/
http://www.southamptoncounty.org/voter-precincts.aspx
For more information, visit www.sbe.virginia.gov
