RICHMOND, Va. β With just two weeks until Election Day, Virginia voters are heading to the polls in increasing numbers for state and local races across the Commonwealth.
Early voting locations have seen steady traffic, including at the Chesterfield Central Library where voters cast ballots Tuesday. According to the Virginia Public Access Project, early vote totals as of Monday reached nearly 707,000 compared to nearly 457,000 in 2021.
"I think it's a very good thing that we have it, and more and more citizens in Virginia are taking advantage of it," CBS 6 political analyst Dr. Bob Holsworth said.
Holsworth says it's too early to determine if the jump in numbers reflects growing comfort with early voting or enthusiasm for this year's elections.
On the ballot this year are races for the three statewide offices of Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General, plus all 100 seats in the House of Delegates and some local positions depending on location.
Issues bringing Chesterfield voters to the polls range from the increasing cost of living to immigration and rising housing costs.
"All these increased expenses are very tough to fixed income people like myself. But, even people who are working -- it's a very big burden on them," Jay Wieting, a voter in Chesterfield, said.
Mary Mullins, another voter, cited immigration concerns.
"I'm all for immigration if they come through the front door, but I think people that come here illegally need to sent home. That's just it," Mullins said.
Housing costs also weigh on voters' minds.
"I'd like to be downsizing as a senior citizen and it's really difficult to find any homes or housing that's reasonable. So, I'm ending up staying in a two-story home when I don't really need a two-story home," Chesterfield voter Terry Lockhart said.
As the race enters its final two weeks, major political figures from both parties have weighed in. President Donald Trump encouraged support for Republican gubernatorial candidate Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears in comments made on Air Force One Sunday, though he didn't mention her by name.
"I will tell you I think the Republican candidate is excellent and I think the Democrat candidate is a disaster. I mean I watched her in the debate, she couldn't answer the most basic question," Trump said.
Former President Barack Obama released a commercial supporting Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger and will campaign with her in Norfolk on November 1, the last day of early voting.
"I'm proud to endorse Abigail Spanberger. In Congress, Abigail held Republicans accountable and fought to protect voting rights and abortion rights. But it won't happen without you," Obama said.
Holsworth expects post-debate polls to show Spanberger with a comfortable lead. He says this will likely shift Republican focus to the Attorney General's race between Republican incumbent Jason Miyares and Democrat Jay Jones, following revelations that Jones sent texts and made comments imagining violence against a Republican lawmaker and his children in 2022.
"There'll still be some effort on part of Earle-Sears, because they know if Spanberger wins by double digits, it's certainly possible that Jones could win. But at the same time, my sense from talking to Republicans, is they believe their best chance in this election is not at the top of the ticket, but with the AG race," Holsworth said.
Key upcoming dates include Friday's deadline to register to vote or update information and to apply for an absentee ballot by mail.
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