Election lines were anywhere from 40 minutes to 1 hour at Bristow Run Elementary School in Bristow.There has been record turnouts at the polls in Prince William County for the Nov. 6 midterm elections.
In Western Prince William County the elections features a race between Senate incumbent Tim Kaine (D) and Prince William Supervisor Corey Stewart (R); incumbent Rob Wittman for Congress in the 1st District verses Vangie Williams (D); incumbent Barbara Comstock (R) against Va. Del. Jennifer Wexton in the 10th District.
There is a Prince William County School Board special election between interim Chairman Babur Lateef, supported by the Democrats, Gainesville representative Alyson Satterwhite, supported by the Republicans, and independent Stanley Bender.
Bristow Run Elementary School in Bristow is one of the largest polling place in Prince William County. There the lines were 160 people one at peak times around 6:30 a.m. as people were on their way to work, said poll worker, Cher Muzyk.
By 11 a.m., there were already 800 people who had voted at the location, and 1300 by 2:30 p.m.. The parking lot was completely full and the line all the way down the school’s hallway after 10:30. She said there had never been less than 80 people in line from when they opened at 6 a.m. until that point in the day.
Teachers were in school at the time and were holding parent-teacher conferences, adding to the crowding in the parking lot.
According to Rebecca Sosa who was handing out Democratic ballots, voting seems to be very close in that particular precinct.
“I’m seeing at least half since I’ve been here (around 9:30 a.m..) “It’s the biggest turnout. I knew it was going to be big, but it still took my breath away when I went in to vote myself.”
People are being polite, she said, and do not seem deterred either by the rain nor the longlines.
Election signs posted outside Bristow Run Elementary School.Ashley Branch was inside in line, ready to cast her ballot for the Democrats across the board.
“I vote every year. Yeah, it’s bigger than I’ve ever seen before.”
She said if there is anything good about the Trump Presidency in her opinion, it’s that it has gotten people out to vote.
She noted in a midterm election polling places are usually pretty empty. “Now, they’re out here.”
“It’s how it should be,” said friend Maurice Malachi.
“Don’t sit on the couch,” Branch said to anyone who hadn’t gotten out to vote yet.
Mary Beth Valint is also a loyal voter, but she supports the Republican Party, saying that it better matches were her values.
This year, she was standing in line with her son Ryan Valint who is casting his ballot for the first time. Ryan is 18 and a student at George Mason University in Fairfax.
Even though it is a high-turnout election, he said he did not hear about the election from friends. He does not believe they are exceptionally energized at his college.
Muzyk said they have had a lot of first time voters at Bristow Run, but most were not teenager, but adults who had never previously voted. Every time a person voted for the first time, the poll workers clapped.
She said the turnout is amazing in a precinct that was almost evenly split between Trump and Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Because the Bristow Run precinct keeps growing, after voting, voters were polled to see if they would like to split the precinct for the next election.
Elsewhere residents are reporting high turnouts. In some precincts people are waiting more than an hour. However, in other places, the wait is estimated to be much shorter.
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