Published: November 02, 2009 07:41 pm      

Va. decides key seats today

TAZEWELL, Va. — Voters will decide contested races today across Southwest Virginia, including two local seats on the Virginia General Assembly.

Three seats on the Tazewell County Board of Supervisors, and two seats on the Tazewell County School Board, also will be determined today. Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. across Virginia.

Voters in Tazewell County have already cast 440 absentee ballots, which could be an indicator of a good voter turnout today, Registrar Debbie Barrett said.

“I think it will be a heavy turnout,” Barrett said pointing to the fact that only 125 absentee ballots were cast four years ago during the last gubernatorial election.

Bland County, which has a contested School Board and Board of Supervisor race, is expecting a light voter turnout today, Registrar Stacy Tibbs Grady said. A total of 87 absentee ballots were cast in Bland County.

“Judging by the absentees, I think it is going to be pretty light,” Grady said. “I think it’s going to be a little less than normal. Usually for an election like this we have 120 to 130 absentee voters.”

Election officials in Buchanan County also are expecting a light turnout — despite interest being generated in the 3rd Delegate District contest between incumbent Delegate Dan Bowling, D-Tazewell, and Republican challenger Will Morefield. The delegate district includes all of Tazewell and Buchanan counties, and three precincts in Russell County.

“I think it will be light,” Buchanan County Registrar Vicky Clevinger said. “I don’t think we will have a heavy turnout. Normally, about a 38 percent (voter turnout) is average for us.”

In addition to the Third Delegate District race, voters will also determine the Sixth District House of Delegates contest today between incumbent Delegate Anne B. Crockett-Stark, R-Wythe, who is being challenged by Democrat Carole Pratt. The Sixth District race includes the Graham and Springville precincts in Tazewell County, all of Bland, and parts of Giles, Pulaski and Wythe counties.

In Tazewell County, voters will determine seats on both the school board, and the board of supervisors.

In the county’s Western District, three candidates are vying for a single seat on the Tazewell County Board of Supervisors. They include incumbent Democrat Bill Wimmer, Republican John Absher and independent Bob Wade.

Two candidates also are vying for the Western District Tazewell County School Board seat. They include incumbent Steve Davis and challenger Penny Nimmo.

In the Southern District Tazewell County Board of Supervisors contest, incumbent Democrat Mike Hymes is being challenged by Republican Dallas Sparks. In the Southern District Tazewell County School Board race, incumbent Randy Conn is being challenged by Buddy Young.

In the special Northern District Tazewell County Board of Supervisors race, the candidates include Democrat David Woodard and Republican James T. “Jim” Campbell Jr.

– Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com