Will writes: It’s that time of the year! Time to tear yourself away from work, mosey down to your appropriate voting center, cast a few votes and make this country a better place. It takes just a few minutes, and if you don’t, the terrorists will win!
Gee, I didn’t know that any terrorists were running. Anybody want to make any predictions as to the outcome of the area races?
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on four six and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #
Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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I think it’s pretty straightforward who’s going to win the major elections today. Goode and Warner should win easily, as their opponents are not very strong. It’s unfortunate, as neither is very good. Anybody seen the opinions of these weirdo independents running for senate? They make that Salidis guy that runs for city council sound almost mainstream, with their predictions of a coming dark age if we go to war with Iraq.
I predict Goode will win. Go Republicans!
Of course Goode will win, even though most people in these parts can’t comprehend a word he says!
I don’t think the margin of victory is going to be anywhere close to what was predicted earlier. Meredith Richards ran a very good race and did some strong campaigning. I was most impressed – I honestly didn’t think she’d show very well, but she really came through. The FDR references were a little much, but at least everybody could understand her.
With the jerrymandered district we’re in, it will be tough for anybody from Charlottesville to beat Goode unless he gets caught with a dead girl or a live boy. Tough, but not impossible. I hope Meredith either runs again (starting now) or inspires others to do so.
Yeah, Goode does have a "Forrest Gump-ish" quality about him.
I also thought Richards ran a good race, considering she didn’t have the resources Goode did.
If anybody hasn’t voted yet, there is a candidate that is currently running as a write-in candidate for Senate… Gail Crook. Despite the awful name for a politician, she is a more mainstream candidate and it seems as though she might have been the Democratic nominee if she had any fundraising power whatsoever. Not that any of this is going to change the outcome.
My predictions:
Warner with about 65%. Goode wins, but by a smaller margin than expected with about 52%.
GO DEMOCRATS!
I voted for Jacob Hornberger, one of the "wierdo" independents running against Warner. I’ve seen him speak and he’s actually very intelligent and insightful. Read his commentary at http://www.fff.org. Accusing a candidate of being extremist (clearly the implication of ColinC) is absurd and intellectually lazy. What you’re really accusing him of is having a firm stand on issues. "Mainstream" just means you go where the political fashion goes. What’s so good about that? That’s Warner’s game, and look where it’s got us. Anyway, I predict Goode will win and both bond issues will pass (a huge mistake, by the way).
I would say that abolishing the Board of Education and likening gun control to tyranny is a bit extreme, wouldn’t you?
Not that political extremism is necessarily a bad thing.
Make it an elected board and shoot the gun controllers, and each side gets a boon. ;)
Warner with about 65%.
Wow, that would be incredible. I was thinking more like 95%.
Nah… I think that most Democrats will vote for somebody… anybody… before they vote for Warner.
Yeah, but let’s not forget that Warner fell on his sword to keep Ollie North out of the Senate. A lot of people from all parties remember that noble act. Had he not done it, Ollie would be the junior senator from Virginia today.
I expect many of them won’t cast a vote. It may not be 95%, but I’d bet on more than 80% for Warner and more than 55% for Goode.
Seems like I can’t slack anywhere without letting the terrorists win!
Goode w/ 55%
Warner w/ 80%
I’m a conservative independant (I’d be a Republican if it wasn’t for their catering to strong relligious right) and I’ll probably be happy with the results. Goode is a bit hard to understand. Good for him that he’s from Virginia and not Massachusetts!
maybe it seems a little weird because this was
my first time voting, but do we always vote on
a giant etch-a-sketch, disguised as a palm pilot ?
100% of precincts reporting and 85% for Warner, 64% for Goode – now that’s more like it. Richards won C-ville by 66% (no surprise) and Brunswick County, but as expected it wasn’t nearly enough to offset Goode’s lead in every other locality, especially in Southside.
The good news for everyone is that turnout in Charlottesville was higher than expected despite the weather. Way to go Charlottesvilleans!
Oddly, 26 of 47 write-in votes were in Albemarle County. Was there a write-in campaign in Albemarle?
Nope, those are new. I first used one here in C’ville when voting in the city council elections. Before that, we punched chads!
Nope. In the 2000 election, Democrats in Florida were unable to figure out the punched card style ballots, and this caused the entire country to launch a new system of voting machines to help Democrats vote.
Cheaper alternatives, such as a book entitled "Voting for Dummies" and "An Idiot’s Guide to Punched cards" were dismissed as discriminatory.
Is the similarity to an "Etch-a-Sketch" (a children’s toy) a coincidence? I think not.
We did last time we voted, though that was the first.