Published: October 31, 2009 06:38 pm      

Major Va. races decided Tuesday

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

Polls open Tuesday at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

Local voter registration officials hope a closely watched governor’s race will help to bring voters out to the polls Tuesday, along with several contested school board and board of supervisor races in Tazewell, Bland and Giles counties.

“We’ve had 405 people to request ballots or come in and vote absentee,” Tazewell County Registrar Debbie Barrett said. “That’s a good indicator (of voter turnout). I think the local races are helping.”

In the Third District House of Delegates race, incumbent Democrat Dan Bowling, D-Tazewell, is being challenged by Republican Will Morefield. The third legislative district includes all of Tazewell County — with the exception of the Graham and Springville precincts — and all of Buchanan County.

In the Sixth District House of Delegates contest, incumbent Delegate Anne B. Crockett-Stark, R-Wythe, 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.

A full ballot awaits voters in Tazewell County Tuesday.

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, 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.

In Bland County, two Board of Supervisor and School Board seats will be determined Tuesday.

In the District 2 Bland County Board of Supervisors race, Lace M. “Nick” Asbury, IV, and Kevin W. Siers, are vying for a single seat. In the District 2 Bland County School Board race, incumbent Melinda F. Litton is running unopposed for re-election.

In the District 4 Bland County Board of Supervisors race, incumbent Karen Harless Hodock is running unopposed for re-election. In the District 4 Bland County School Board race, Anthony T. “Tony” Kennedy is running unopposed.

In Buchanan County, there are no local school board or board of supervisor elections Tuesday on the county level.

In Giles County, two at-large School Board and Board of Supervisors seats will be determined Tuesday.

Incumbents Paul W. “Chappy” Baker, and Richard K. “Ricky” McCoy are running unopposed for re-election to the Giles County Board of Supervisors.

Incumbents J.B. Buckland and Drema K. McMahon also are running unopposed for re-election to the Giles County School Board.

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com