CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — About a dozen early risers stood in line at Manchester Middle School on Hull Street Road minutes before the polls opened at 6 a.m. Tuesday.
That precinct is one of the busiest polling locations in Chesterfield, according to a county spokesperson.
Timothy Lee Jones and his wife arrived first to beat the crowds.
“I’m retired so I thought maybe I'll get out here and get started,” he said. “I’m thinking about being counted and among the winners."
He listed several prevailing issues that brought them out to the polls early including the economy.
“Issues on abortion, issues on fairness, issues [impacting] churches,” he added. “The economy is very important. Right now it seems sluggish and you see people losing jobs and I really feel sorry for them.”
Ten miles west at Tomahawk Creek Middle School, Brian Loewen was among the steady stream of voters.
“It’s always important for me to get out the vote. Make sure I get in here and contribute to the process and vote before I have to go to work,” Loewen said.
Jacqueleen Mclaughlin’s husband is a furloughed government worker.
“It’s been a very difficult month for us, but we are doing okay and saved for a rainy day. We are okay, probably better than most, and hope things can turn around after this election,” Mclaughlin said.
Watch: What's on the mind of Virginia voters in Chesterfield?
Technical issue briefly delays voting
One issue at the Tomahawk Creek Middle polling location forced fewer than 10 ballots to be put into an emergency drop box, according to the precinct chief.
She said one scanner had technical difficulties and wouldn’t scan ballots shortly after the polls opened.
She said staff immediately called the Registrar’s office and they hooked up an additional scanner already on hand at the school.
The ballots put in the emergency drop box were then scanned and counted shortly after.
Watch: Virginia Board of Elections Complete 10 a.m. Briefing
Constance Lewis, a longtime Chesterfield resident and healthcare worker, encouraged individuals who haven’t voted to get out to their local polling location.
“My message to those sitting on the couch, if you want change you have to be a part of that change,” she said. “Cast your vote because every vote does count. It’s very important and you’re important so make you vote count today.”
Key communities to statewide results
When polls close at 7 p.m., CBS 6 political analyst Dr. Bob Holsworth said he’s paying close attention to results from suburbs across Virginia including Chesterfield County.
“This was a county that [Governor Glenn] Youngkin carried, but [Democratic presidential candidate] Kamala Harris also carried. If we find [Democratic gubernatorial candidate] Abigail Spanberger winning in Chesterfield County by a comfortable margin, that's going to say it's likely to be a good night for Democrats,” Dr. Holsworth said.
He said battleground suburbs like Hampton Roads may also give insight into how individuals across the Commonwealth voted.
“If [Republican gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Winsome] Earle-Sears does not run very well in Chesapeake, that's going to be a bad night,” he added.
Dr. Holsworth said Republicans need high turnout in Southwest Virginia, in rural areas, and around military installations.
“People are concerned about the cost of living, whether that be housing or energy and the like. That seems to be a very, very big issue. There are a lot of voters who are talking about the threats to democracy that they see,” he added.
A Chesterfield spokesperson said 85,175 people voted early in-person or by-mail from September 19 to November 1. By comparison, a total of 101,505 early voters (in-person and by-mail) during the 2024 Presidential Election.
He said they expected Election Day to be crowded and busy at all the county’s precincts.
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