Virginians Head to Polls in Consequential Election

Virginia voters line up to cast their ballots at Newton-Lee Elementary School in Ashburn, Va., on Nov. 7, 2023. Win McNamee/Getty Images

Virginians are heading to the polls today, their off-year Election Day. All 140 legislative seats in both chambers of the Commonwealth are up for grabs for the first time since redistricting in 2021; many county and local level officials will also be elected.

The Republicans are aiming for a Republican trifecta, which would enable them to achieve more of their goals—such as requiring schools to involve parents if their minor children identify as a gender that is different from their biological sex, a bill for which was defeated by the Democrat-led state Senate in the latest legislative session.

Meanwhile, the Democrats are looking to stop a Republican takeover of the state government because that could lead to a limit on abortion, permitting abortion up to and including 15 weeks gestation while allowing for exceptions in cases of rape, incest, and risk to the life of the mother.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (Center in a red vest), Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares (Left), Juan Pablo Segura, the Republican candidate for Virginia Senate District 31 (2nd left), Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman (3rd right), and Virginia Lt. Governor Winsome Sears (right) at a rally in Leesburg, Va., on Nov. 6, 2023. Terri Wu/The Epoch Times

‘Everything Is on the Line’

“We know that everything is on the line in 2023. Virginia is the last state in the South that has not passed an abortion ban. And if Republicans get a trifecta, they will use their unchecked power to set Virginia back decades,” Heather Williams, president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), the official party committee for state legislatures, told reporters at a press call on Monday.

By overturning Roe v. Wade in June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that abortion is not considered a constitutional right and returned the decision power over the practice to the states.

Because of the consequential nature of the Virginia elections this year, Ms. Williams said her organization invested over $2.2 million in the Virginia House and Senate races. She added that her organization put a “really strong ground name in Virginia” for grassroots outreach.

“Governor Youngkin has promised a total Republican takeover and put all his money and capital on the line,” she added. “So stopping him by any margin will be a success.”

Abortion is an issue Democrats nationwide are campaigning on, and Ms. Williams calls it a “losing issue for the GOP.” She added that if Virginia Republicans fell short of taking both the House and Senate, it would showcase how much of a winning issue abortion is for Democrats, and the Virginia elections would serve as a reference for 2024.

Jonathan Avendano (R), reverend of Mana of Heaven Church in Sterling, at a Republican rally in Leesburg, Va., on Nov. 6, 2023. Terri Wu/The Epoch Times

‘Hope Over Fear’

In the hours leading up to Election Day, Republican and Democrat candidates are making a final push to turn out votes. In addition to grassroots outreach, Republicans have also held rallies in competitive districts.

Although Virginia’s Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin is not on the ticket, he has been stumping for candidates in these last-minute rallies.

On Monday, he spoke at rallies in three key Senate districts: District 27 including Fredericksburg; District 30 including the city of Manassas; and District 31, which includes parts of Loudoun and Fauquier counties.

“We are the party that makes sure this generation will inherit a better Virginia tomorrow; we are the party of hope. They are the party of fear,” Mr. Youngkin said at a rally in Loudoun County on the eve of Election Day, referring to the Democratic Party.

“They are the party of fear because that’s all they know,” he added. “And it is fear versus hope, and listen to me, hope beats fear every single day of the week.”

Juan Pablo Segura, the Republican candidate for Virginia Senate District 31, speaks at a rally in Leesburg, Va., on Nov. 6, 2023. Terri Wu/The Epoch Times

The rallies attracted attendance from independent voters in addition to Republicans.

At the Manassas rally, Rachel J., a dental office manager in her early 30s, told The Epoch Times she voted for Democrats in the past but now considers herself an independent and wanted to hear more about the candidates to decide whom to vote for on Election Day. She declined to disclose her last name.

Ms. J said she is most concerned about the cost of living and border security and thinks the GOP has a better solution. She also said she supports Mr. Youngkin’s 15-week abortion limit because that gives a woman enough time to decide if she is going to keep the baby.

At the same event, Shawn, a woman in her 30s, told The Epoch Times that she voted for her district’s GOP state Senate candidate. She said her decision was based on which candidate takes the “right” stance on issues like abortion. She didn’t disclose her last name.

She said she considers herself an independent but has decided to vote for candidate Nikki Baldwin because Ms. Baldwin speaks about abortion compassionately and understands the mother’s needs as well.

Ms. Baldwin is pro-life and supports Mr. Youngkin’s 15-week limit abortion policy.

An elderly black couple, Roy Best, a retired real estate agent, and Edith Best, a retired insurance agent, attended the Fredericksburg rally to support the Republican candidates.

Mr. Best said before he became a conservative, he used to work for groups that support abortion. He knows that if people are educated about how abortion really affects babies and mothers, they would support a reasonable limit on abortion.

He also said the media creates issues around race, but the issue is not so important to him. Ms. Best is most concerned about inflation and homelessness; she wants Congress to stop giving money to other countries and help Americans instead.

Also at the Fredericksburg rally, Jeremiah Lorrig, an organizer with Generation Joshua, a civics education group, said his teen group had knocked on thousands of doors for pro-homeschool candidates like Tara Durant, the Republican candidate for state Senate District 27.

“We have definitely been talking to people who said that they’ve never voted before, but they are planning on voting this election, right here in the Fredericksburg area,” said Mr. Lorrig.

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares speaks at a Republican rally in Leesburg, Va., on Nov. 6, 2023. Terri Wu/The Epoch Times

A Close Call

If there’s one thing both parties agree on, it’s that the state-level outcome of the election will be a close call.

It’s possible that Virginians won’t know all the results on election night. Virginia laws require the mail-in ballot count by the following Monday. Therefore, a few races may need to be finalized on Nov. 13. Mail-in and provisional ballots tend to lean heavily Democratic.

Both parties have been working hard to push for voter turnout. Democrats have their “Get out the Vote” campaigns, and Republicans have a “Secure Your Vote Virginia” bus tour.

In the days leading up to Election Day, Democratic grassroots organizers have been running phone bank initiatives to call the “low information voters,” those who only vote in presidential elections.

On Election Day eve, Mr. Youngkin urged Loudoun County rally attendees to vote and told them that half a million people who voted for him in 2021 didn’t show up and vote in the 2022 congressional midterms.

“When Republicans vote, Republicans win. And we’ve got to hold the House and flip the Senate,” Mr. Youngkin said.

“Donate, volunteer, [put up campaign] signs, vote, vote, vote, vote, vote, vote, vote, and pray.”