Copyright Norfolk Virginian-Pilot
College students across Hampton Roads were at the polls bright and early Tuesday to participate in Virginia’s off-year elections to determine control of the three most powerful political seats in the commonwealth. In addition to city-specific positions and House of Delegates seats, the offices of governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general are on the ballot and attracting young people to voting booths. Izzy Young, a 20-year-old junior at Old Dominion University, walked in and out of the polling station at Chesapeake Central Library shortly after 6 a.m. to cast a ballot in the race for governor between Democrat and former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger and Republican candidate Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. She voted for Spanberger. “She seems like a more well-balanced person in her life and wants to do more for the public school system, which is an important thing for me, because I have a special needs sister who’s in public school,” Young said, noting she also found Spanberger’s stance on reproductive rights appealing. Her father, Jeff Young, said he liked that Spanberger is a former CIA officer. And, he added, the local race for Chesapeake sheriff has been a particularly interesting one to follow. Sheriff David Rosado lost to his challenger, Wallace Chadwick, in the Republican primary this summer. But not giving up the fight to retain his office, Rosado continued to campaign as a write-in candidate. “I was rooting for Chadwick,” Jeff Young said, later adding, “I know people that know him, and I know some good things that he’s done, like putting some people away.” Students were also up early in Norfolk. Around 7:15 a.m. Jiarre Lankford, a 21-year-old psychology major at Norfolk State University, confidently strode up to the polling station at Chesterfield Heights Elementary School wearing school colors: green and gold. “I feel like there’s not enough focus on schooling. I feel like most of what needs to happen in this state in general, but also in this country, needs to start at the educational level,” Lankford said. “And I feel like there’s not enough funding being put into schools.” He voted for Spanberger, as did the next several NSU Spartans who arrived. “I want a governor that will support my education, not try to cut it, because it’s my pride here,” Erika Igarashi-Cummings, a 21-year-old senior studying construction management. “I’m celebrated at my HBCU.” Chris Martin, 24, who graduated NSU this spring with a degree in exercise science, said he came out to vote for Spanberger because of her acceptance of the LGBTQ community. “I like the fact that she’s for people’s rights.”
