In addition to the races for the trifecta of the state governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general, residents also voted for their districts’ representatives on the county board of supervisors and the school board.
Potomac Local went to Rocky Run Elementary School in Hartwood and the John Musante Porter Branch of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library in Garrisonville to find out how residents had voted.
In Hartwood, a small sample showed a majority of voters voting for Republican nominee Glenn Youngkin and voting straight down party lines. The Republican ticket appeared to save a slight advantage in Garrisonville, with voters voting straight down party lines.
Those who voted Republican based their decisions on recent local controversies such as the concern over Critical Race Theory in public schools and more global issues such as the United States’ current leaving from Afghanistan after 20 years of war in that region. Other reasons Republican voters gave were the ongoing abortion debate from a pro-life stance and the desire for lower taxes.
One Hartwood resident who did vote Democrat across the ballot said that his decision was made based on concerns for the environment and that the blue team was the side that seemed the most concerned on that front. Republicans under then-President Donald Trump had pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Accord in 2017.
A Garrisonville resident, who said she voted Republican for years, switched party affiliation and voted Democrat across the board. The voter cited a lack of openness from Republicans to answer questions compared to the Democrats, claiming that when he asked questions of Republican Tara Durant’s campaign, he got no response but got responses from the Democrat incumbent Delegate Joshua Cole.
Both Durant and Cole are battling for the District 28 House of Delegates seat in Fredericksburg and Stafford. Each candidate has raised over $2 million, making it one of the most-watched races in the state.
Also in Hartwood, some voters chose Libertarian Tim Lewis. He is running for the delegate seat in the 88th district, representing areas of Stafford, Fredericksburg, and Spotsylvania. Voters for Lewis voters decided based on the agreement of libertarian values of smaller government that was felt not to be represented by either of the two major parties.
The Heartwood District seat on the Stafford Board of Supervisors is up for grabs. Darrell English, who served on the county’s Planning Commission, faces political newcomer Keith Jones.
Marc Broklawski and Alyssa Halstead, endorsed by Democrats and Republicans, respectively, are seeking the open Heartwood District School Board seat.
Elsewhere in the county, School Board seats in the Aquia, Garrisonville, and Falmouth districts are up for grabs. Maya Guy Wanda Blackwell and Sarah Chase are the respective candidates in those districts endorsed by Democrats.
David Fauth, Maureen Siegmund, and Scott Hirons, respectively, have the backing of Republicans.
By 1 p.m., a total of 1,958 had cast ballots in Hartwood, and 853 at the Porter Library in Garrisonville.
Polling places remained open for voting until 7 p.m.
