THE ELECTION EDITION we know everyone has been waiting for is here. Which means taking a brief break from our usual format this week, to focus almost exclusively on coverage of the Virginia elections leading into Tuesday.
Also: look for a special mid-week newsletter on Wednesday, providing initial election results and information.
Recalling our comments last Friday about election cycle fatigue (and fully recognizing the irony of bringing that back up, in an “Election Edition”), we did assemble a few news items for you all that are not exclusively focused on November 2nd:
- Va. new jobless claims rise slightly
- Virginia’s prison population fell by thousands during the pandemic. Will it stay down?
- ‘Great news’: Virginia reaches Top 10 in US for COVID-19 vaccinations
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Study: Many regional employers delaying return to office until next summer
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What’s in —and out — of Biden’s $1.75 trillion social spending and climate bill
- Virginia lawmakers explore an earlier start for retail marijuana sales
Lastly, a gentle reminder to any of our friends and partners who plan to vote early: tomorrow (Saturday), October 30th is the last day for you to do so.
Cheers,
Davis Consultants
Virginia House Democrats aim to protect their majority
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Democratic control of Virginia state government over the past two years has allowed lawmakers to dramatically reshape public policy with legislation reforming the criminal justice system, loosening abortion restrictions and expanding voting access.
Saturday is the last day to vote early in Virginia; find out where you can cast a ballot
VIRGINIA (WRIC) — If you are looking to cast your ballot early for the upcoming November elections, you only have until Saturday to get it done. Early voting began in Virginia on Sept. 17 and the last day to vote is this Saturday, Oct. 30, before you have a chance again on Election Day, Nov. 2.
Virginia counties shift election procedures to head off conspiracy theorists
The vast majority of Virginia’s votes are expected to be counted on Election Day, and the state has made improvements to election laws earlier this year that will likely expedite the election night process — including some changes made, at least partially, to prevent conspiracy theories about the count from taking hold.
New River Valley House race one of most hotly-contested in the state
The commonwealth has been increasingly shifting blue on political maps, but Southwest Virginia remains a stronghold of Republican control. The region’s two lonely blue outposts must look like isolated islands in a red sea, ripe for plunder this election season.
Amid Heightened Scrutiny, Virginia Election Officials Say Voting Is Safe And Secure
Scott Konopasek says he noticed it this summer: more people than usual were on hand to observe planned maintenance on voting machines and other equipment, a routine — and not exactly riveting — process that usually flew under the radar in years past.
Who will win control the House of Delegates? A handful of Chesterfield races could be pivotal
Mike Cherry, a Colonial Heights pastor turned Republican candidate for the House of Delegates, is bounding through the Glebe Point subdivision in mid-October knocking on doors and handing out campaign fliers in khaki shorts, running shoes and a red T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan “It’s Cherry-picking season.”
Virginia Democrats sue USPS over delayed delivery of election-related material
(CNN) – Virginia Democratic Party filed a lawsuit against the US Postal Service Friday, alleging local branches failed to deliver and process election-related material ahead of its high-stakes gubernatorial race, a claim the government agency has rebutted.
A guide to the Virginia elections: The races, the candidates and where they stand on the issues
Virginia voters are headed to the polls to pick a new governor — and a host of other elected officials — in a dead-heat contest that stands to shape the state’s policies on matters ranging from mask mandates to abortion.
Leading, Trailing, or Tied: Turnout and Enthusiasm the "Name of the Game" in 2021 Elections
Virginia had trended more Democratic in recent years, but polls show a tight race for governor between Republican Glenn Youngkin and former governor Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat. With hardening polarization and an off-year election, enthusiasm and turnout with the parties’ bases will consequential in determining the election, voters and analysts say.
Virginia Republicans are fired up — and Trump is on the sidelines
Republicans started the year watching the Senate slip away in Georgia — and fretting that Donald Trump’s takeover of the party was so complete that the base wouldn’t show up for them without Trump himself on the ballot.
Virginia's race for governor is a test for Democrats' — and Trump's — staying power
Alan Mullis was so flattered that Republican Glenn Youngkin paid a pit stop in McKenney, Va., a town an hour south of Richmond — or as Mullis puts it, “the middle of boondocks” — that he says he delayed a chemotherapy treatment for his leukemia to see Youngkin.
Ayala or Sears: Both would make history in Virginia election
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — The two women seeking the lieutenant governor’s office in Virginia next month are fond of touting their unconventional political backgrounds. One thing is certain: Whichever one wins will be making history.
Trump plans last minute tele-rally for Virginia’s Youngkin
NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is stepping from afar back into the hotly contested Virginia governor’s race with a tele-rally planned Monday for Republican Glenn Youngkin, according to a person familiar with his plans.
The Virginia attorney general’s race: Herring and Miyares outline different visions for the office
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The ideological divide between Democratic incumbent Mark Herring and Republican Jason Miyares has been stark this election season, with both candidates sharing opposing views on health care, crime and even the role of Virginia’s attorney general.
In tight Virginia governor’s race, policy takes backseat to culture wars
Donald Hillard, a 49-year-old retired military veteran, says he identifies as a Republican and voted for George W. Bush twice. But he was never on board with the “madness” of former President Donald Trump. And it’s the lingering specter of Trumpism on the right that led him to vote for Virginia’s Democratic ticket this year.
Click to visit our 2021 Elections hub ahead of Tuesday’s elections!
2021 Virginia General Election
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