Virginians went to the polls today to vote in the midterm election. WMRA’s Calvin Pynn spoke with voters at Broadway’s polling station in Rockingham County.
(Sound of car doors opening, engines starting)
A stream of vehicles cycled through the parking lot at the Broadway Fire Department Tuesday morning. Precinct Chief Shea Tussing said a couple dozen people were waiting at the door when the polls opened.
SHEA TUSSING: We’re over 300 already for the day, but it’s been steady.
By noon, about 627 Broadway residents had voted. 190 people voted early in-person, and 58 voted absentee. It’s a heavier turnout than Tussing had seen for past midterm elections, even with the new additions of early and by mail voting.
TUSSING: It seems busier than years past for midterms, and with the economy and everything going on, I guess people are just getting out to vote.
Republican Congressman Ben Cline and Democrat Jennifer Lewis were the only candidates on the ballot in Broadway. Still, voter Jenni Hiser said this is a consequential election.
JENNI HISER: The economy is awful, the way the environment is going, things must change. Even though Virginia isn’t one of the big swing states that we’re hearing about on the national news, it’s still important who our representative is.
Bobby Southerland turned out for Cline, but expressed similar concerns as he went to vote.
BOBBY SOUTHERLAND: We gotta change things, the economy is terrible, crime, everything is just bad.
(Sound of volunteers greeting voters)
Rockingham County supervisor Dewey Ritchie greeted voters along with other members of the county’s Republican Party. He hoped voters would send a message to Washington today.
DEWEY RITCHIE: Curb spending, get things under control, and certainly get back to drilling and using resources we’re standing on in this country.
Democratic Party volunteer David Furlong voted early this year. He said he had the state of democracy and the possibility of voting restrictions across the nation on his mind.
DAVID FURLONG: I believe everybody should have a chance to vote, and we should make it as easy as possible to do that. So I am concerned, not so much with Virginia, at the moment with that issue, but maybe down the road a bit.
