Slow Going At Reston Polling Places

Turnout in Virginia's Democratic primary was quite thin on Tuesday morning.

Registered Democrats were voting for candidates Ralph Northam from Lt. Governor and Mark Herring or Justin Fairfax for Attorney General.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe is running unopposed and will face Republican Ken Cuccinelli in the fall General Election.

The 2001 primary was the last time Virginia had a June primary with only lieutenant governor and attorney general on the ballot—similar to this year. In 2001, fewer than 165,000 people voted in Virginia—a voter turnout rate of approximately 4.2 percent, according to the Virginia State Board of Elections. 

At the Terraset Elementary polling spot, 29 people had voted as of 10:30 a.m. Over at the Reston-Herndon Senior Center, there were 31 voters through the same time period. Polling staff says that is fewer than 1 percent of eligible voters.

Here is what you need to know if you are heading to the polls for the June 11 primary.

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Read about similarly low turnout around the region here.

Don't know where in Reston you vote? 

You can look up your polling place by address.

Races:

Lieutenant Governor

State Sen. Ralph Northam (D-Norfolk) will face off against Aneesh Chopra, the first U.S. chief technology officer under President Barack Obama.

Although Chopra lacks Northam’s veteran experience in public office, he has more financial support behind him, soundly beating Northam in the most recent fundraising period.

The victor in Tuesday’s primary will share a ticket with Terry McAuliffe, former chairman of the Democratic Party and Virginia’s Democratic gubernatorial candidate. McAuliffe is running unopposed.

Attorney General

State Sen. Mark Herring (D-Loudoun) is going up against Justin Fairfax, a former federal prosecutor who worked to fight drug and human trafficking in Alexandria.

Like Northam, Herring has experience as an advantage in the race, but Fairfax’s history as a prosecutor has won him looks from big players, including a Washington Post endorsement.

Turnout is historically quite thin in non-presidential year primaries. When McAuliffe ran against Creigh Deeds and Brian Moran in the 2009 democratic primary, turnout was 6.2 percent, according to the Virginia Board of Elections.

Read more about how the fall election for governor, where McAullife will run against Republican Ken Cuccinelli, the current attorney general, will have national impact. 

Heading to the polls? Be sure to let us know your thoughts and check back with Patch for election results.