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Voters out early in big numbers
Voters arrived very early to cast the vote. Seventy-six-year-old voted for the first time
Date published: 11/5/2008
By DAN TELVOCK The complete darkness at Courthouse Elementary School made it difficult to see the faces of three Spotsylvania women who woke up at 3 a.m. to be the first in line to vote. Rose Warnsing, Betty Knauf and Gloria Stewart, all retired, arrived at 4 a.m. and were the first ones to cast their ballots when the polls opened at 6. If the presidential election had ended then, Democrat Barack Obama would have defeated Republican John McCain 3-0 in Virginia. "We wanted to make sure we do our civic duty and get here on time," Warnsing said. "Obama's going to win. We've had enough. We need change --serious change." But those three were hardly the only ones out early to vote. And McCain was leading in Spotsylvania with the majority of the precinct reporting last night. State election officials said they believe 70-80 percent of Virginia's 5 million voters cast ballots yesterday. Turnout was expected to top 70 percent in the Fredericksburg area. At 6 a.m., the line at the Dawn School in Caroline County's Reedy Church district was through the door and out to the highway. It was so crowded that a man crossing the street to get to the polls was hit by a car that was backing out. The man was taken to the hospital, but his injuries weren't believed to be serious. That may have qualified as the biggest problem at any local precinct. Poll workers throughout the region reported only minor glitches despite the heavy turnout. In Stafford County, some voters waited more than two hours to cast their ballot yesterday morning. Mary Walker, 43, said voting for the candidate whom she agreed with on the issues was worth the wait. "My vote counts," she said as she stood outside Gayle Middle School in the rain. "It's easy to say forget it. But it's important to be here." The lines at Spotsylvania's three busiest precincts--Courthouse Elementary, Smith Station Elementary and Lee Hill Community Center--stretched hundreds of people long before the polls opened and for nearly two hours afterwards.
Read more stories about Spotsylvania Date published: 11/5/2008
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