At Ward 1, Precinct 101 at Hugh Mercer Elementary in Fredericksburg, some voters waited in line at the polls.
“I think it’s important to exercise your right to vote,” said Mike Puig, 64.
One voter said she came out to the polls mainly for state issues.
“There’s a sense of neglect with the state. I just felt like it wasn’t being taken care of,” said 46-year-old Vicki Watson.
“I just don’t like the way things are trending,” K. Schweitezer, 70, said. “Everybody’s pushing an agenda for themselves instead of for the country as a whole. I’m sick and tired of it.”
One voter at Hugh Mercer said he hasn’t missed an election since he first started voting at 18.
“The Democratic Party really excited me. It’s the progressive party in Virginia,” said George Beddoe, 66.
Others at Hugh Mercer came to support Republican candidate Bob McDonnell.
“I read a lot in the paper and it seemed like McDonnell had a better plan,” Sasha Anselmo, 31, said.
Clint Mallory, 31, who came to the polls with Anselmo, agreed. “I came to vote against Deeds,” he said. “The reason is because of the deceitful, dishonest campaign he ran. And the transportation plan McDonnell had seemed very well thought out.”
At Ward 4, Precinct 402 in Fredericksburg at the VFW Hall, several voters favored the Democratic candidates at the state level.
“I’d like to see us support the agenda of President Obama,” said Landon Elswick, 64. “As soon as the race started, I knew I didn’t want McDonnell.”
“I’d like to keep supporting the change,” Della Piarulla, 39, who also supported Democratic candidate Creigh Deeds. “We need a lot of people on the same page...I think we’re on a good road and we need to stay on it,” she said.
Vendell King, 39, said the biggest issue for him in the state election was healthcare reform. “I support the public option and I think Deeds will be behind that,” he said.
For Sharon Ruffin, 37, the foremost issue was the United States’ involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan. “Everybody wants change,” she said. “We have men and women fighting over there and that needs to end.”
Others who voted at the VFW Hall didn’t have one issue that outweighed the others. “I can’t say I had one issue that swayed me the most,” said Mike Seymour, 35. “I don’t like smear campaigns so I tend to vote for people who are nicer.”
Brett Anderson, 42, said he wrote himself in for governor since he didn’t support Bob McDonnell or Creigh Deeds. “I’m sick of all the mud slinging,” he said. “So this is my protest against the mud slinging and back and forth.”
-—Brynn Boyer
As voters left the polls in Fredericksburg this morning, we asked them what significance the 2009 Virginia gubernatorial race had for them. Here’s what they said:
“I came out to participate in the democratic process, it’s this and go get my car inspected this morning,” Andrew Allingham, 21, Ward 2, Precinct 201.
Others had more pointed opinions about the election.
“I want to get back to common sense and physical restraint and get the liberals the hell out of power,” said another resident of Precinct 201. “Obama’s done enough damage already, we don’t need more liberals on the state level.”
“You ought to vote,” said Gordon Linkous, 77, of Precinct 201. “Everybody should vote all the time.”
“It’s my civic duty more than anything…It’s such a profound part of our liberty to be able to vote.” Anonymous, Precinct 201.
“I’d like to see Virginia vote for another Democrat,” said Sharon Roscoe, 36, of Stafford County’s Precinct 501.
“I spent over 20 years in the Marine Corps, I don’t miss my vote,” said Charles Bugay, 73, also of Precinct 501.
“I’m just glad it’s over so we don’t have all the damn commercials,” said Noel Schmidt, 42, of Fredericksburg’s Precinct 301.
“It’s just a regular election day, so we’re taking our opportunity to vote,” said Barbara self of Precinct 301.
“ It’s election day and I wanted to vote Republican,” said Cindy Monk, also of Precinct 301.
“I vote every election day, so all the issues are important to me,” said April Herlitz, 28, of Precinct 301. “ I check the voting records of each candidate, because it actually gives a correct view of what their policies are, as opposed to what others say they are.”
--Aaron Richardson