Super Tuesday 2024 Blog: Live updates from Petersburg, Colonial Heights, Hopewell

On Super Tuesday, Progress-Index reporters are out and about talking to voters and election officials throughout the day. Thanks to voters and poll workers who have been taking the time to speak to us.

5:15 p.m. — Colonial Heights — District One Community Center

Husband and wife duo Matthew and Casey Crow, both 25, cast their ballots for Nikki Haley together at Colonial Heights’ District One Community Center. Both teachers, the couple expressed the importance of voting and having their voices heard.

“I have a right that many others do not have and I’m going to use it every chance I get,” said Casey about what voting means to her. “I think I voted in every election since I was legally able to. Even when I was in college at Longwood I drove home just to vote in 2016 and drove all the way back.“

“To me, voting represents trying to avoid apathy or the sense that your vote doesn’t matter,” added Matthew, who said that he and his wife cast their votes for Nikki Haley in an effort to avoid a second Trump nomination as the GOP candidate. “Even though it’s largely a symbolic thing, we still did what we could to oppose him and his agenda.”

— Allie Pitchon

4:45 p.m. — Colonial Heights — District One Community Center

Donna Inge, 80, cast her ballot at Colonial Heights’ District One Community Center polling site a little after 4:15 p.m. Inge, who voted Republican, said she was happy to have a chance to get out and vote in the primaries.

“The only thing I’m not happy about is that there isn’t hardly anybody here. I hope it’s a much bigger turnout later,” said Inge, who’s been a constituent of Colonial Heights since 1984. “It’s important to have our voices heard.”

—Allie Pitchon

4:30 p.m. — Richmond — Fire Engine House 15

At Fire Engine House 15 about 76 voters had cast their ballots as of 4 pm. Polls opened at 6 a.m. Poll workers said that flow was moderate, and they expect traffic to pick up after 5 p.m., when people get off work. Joyce Knight, 73, said she makes a concerted effort to vote in every election.

“It’s important that we all have a voice and we cannot have that voice unless we get out and vote,” she said. “We have to exercise that right.”

“With the candidates that we have right now, I’m not too impressed, but it is what it is,” she said.On motivating the younger generation to vote, she said she’s going to keep encouraging them to exercise their right.

—Beth Beyer

4:00 p.m. — Petersburg

At 3 pm, Petersburg continued to report “very low” poll turnout, registrar Dawn Wilmoth said. Only 3.4% of the city’s registered voting base had cast ballots at all seven polling places. When you factor in early and absentee voting, the turnout number for Petersburg jumps to 9.8%, which Wilmoth said was still down for a presidential primary.

Low in-person numbers were also causing some headaches for potential City Council and School Board hopefuls trying to gather signatures on their petitions to run in November. To qualify, a candidate must have gathered viable signatures from at least 125 registered voters in their wards by the June 18 deadline to submit petitions and other campaign material.

This November, council and school board seats will be up in Petersburg’s even-numbered wards — 2, 4 and 6.

— Bill Atkinson

3:45 p.m. — Richmond — Woodland Heights Baptist Church

At Woodland Heights Baptist Church about 154 voters had cast their ballots as of 3 pm. Polls opened at 6 a.m.

Marty Gravett, 73, usually votes Democratic, but this year she opted to cast a Republican ballot for Nikki Haley.

“I don’t have any fear of Joe Biden being on the Virginia ballot, I will vote for him as president,” she said.

On Super Tuesday, she wanted to send a message: “Go Nikki Haley, give [Trump] a run for his money,” she said.“I like that Nikki Haley is standing up to Trump. All in all, I don’t like her politics but I think she has a lot of integrity which I see missing in the Republican Party. I would very much like to see a return to that integrity and I feel like this oddball chance that I have is a piece of that for me.”

Virginia has open primaries where anyone can request one ballot to cast one vote for either party.

— Beth Beyer

3:30 p.m. — Colonial Heights — Lakeview Elementary School

Walter Gulledge, 68, said he had a very smooth voting experience at Colonial Heights’ Lakeview Elementary School.

“It’s my civic duty,” said Gulledge, who’s been a constituent of Colonial Heights since 1980 and addd that he votes in every election he can. “It’s one of our rights that we got through the constitution. If you don’t have a voice, if you don’t get out and vote, then you don’t have a right to complain.”

—Allie Pitchon

3:10 p.m. — Colonial Heights — Lakeview Elementary School

Linda Harris, 73, cast her ballot at Lakeview Elementary School today, partly in honor of her late grandmother.

“My grandmother was a suffragette so I wouldn’t dream of not voting,” said Harris, who’s been a constituent of Colonial Heights since 1985.

“Two weeks before she passed she got into her car in her pajamas and went and voted,” said Harris. “She never missed an opportunity to vote and I don’t like to either. It’s a great privilege and we should take advantage of it.”

— Allie Pitchon

2:55 p.m. — Colonial Heights — Lakeview Elementary School

— Allie PItchon

2:20 p.m. — Colonial Heights — Lakeview Elementary School

At Lakeview Elementary School, turnout for the primaries is slightly higher than average, said Precinct 3 Chief Jessica Younce, 59. This is in sharp contrast to other Colonial Heights polling sites, including Tussing Elementary School and the Colonial Heights High School Technical Center, where turnout was described by polling workers as lower than usual.

“Typically primary turnouts are lower than normal anyway, but for this precinct, we’re probably running a little more than average,” said Younce, who said that this was her eighth or ninth year working the polls.

Younce added that voters also seemed more informed than usual, even for a primary election, where voters typically have a better grasp of issues than those who vote in the general election.

“I’ve just noticed a little more knowledge about the candidates,” she said. “Ballots have to be printed up long before some candidates drop out of the race and several people have known who’s not running anymore even though they’re not on the ballot.”

— Allie Pitchon

1:00 p.m. — Colonial Heights — Colonial Heights High School Technical Center

Belinda Tipton, 72, brought her two young grandnephews with her to cast her ballot at the Colonial Heights High School Technical Center. Tipton, who said she voted Republican, added that she votes every election.

“If I don’t then I have no right to voice an opinion on what’s going on in the world,” said Tipton. “As far as voting for me, it’s a privilege and an honor to do it. And it’s something that I’ve done since I’ve turned of age.”

Tipton added that she brought her grandnephews with her because they didn’t have school today, but also because she wanted to show them the voting process.

“It’s their first time,” said Tipton. “They went through the whole scenario with me and they thought it was kind of cool.”

— Allie Pitchon

12:45 p.m. — Petersburg

As of noon, the turnout overall in the city continues to be low, registrar Dawn Wilmoth tells The Progress-Index. Less than 400 of the city's registered voters had turned out by noon, Wilmoth said, translating to 1.67% turnout.

Add in the absentees and early ballots, and the total turnout for Petersburg is 8.6%.

— Bill Atkinson

12:38 p.m. — Richmond — J.B. Fisher Elementary

At J.B. Fisher Elementary, about 200 voters had come through the facility to vote as of noon. Polls had opened at 6 a.m. Chris Ray, 36, cast a Democratic ballot for President Joe Biden.

“Best president of my lifetime, happy to do it,” he said.

Ray said he feels confident in his choice, going into November.

“He’s an accomplished president,” he said. “I think that when people are really clued into the election and are really clued into the issues closer to the election date, they’ll make the right choice.”

— Beth Beyer

12:34 p.m. — Colonial Heights — Colonial Heights High School Technical Center

— Allie Pitchon

12:16 p.m. — Richmond — Calhoun Family Investment Center

At the Calhoun Family Investment Center, which serves Gilpin Court, a public housing complex in Richmond’s Jackson Ward, about 5 voters had come through the facility to vote as of 11:15 a.m., out of almost 1,100 people registered to vote in the precinct. Polls had opened at 6 a.m. Barbara Burgo, the elections chief for the precinct, attributed the low turnout to a lack of enthusiasm or knowledge about primary elections.

“Primaries are not really known in this particular community. I think it’s a lack of knowledge, not a lack or participation. I think the interest has waned over the years,” she said. Burgo, an election officer for 15 years and a chief officer for 8 years, hopes to organize a rally in the community in the next few months to promote voter education among the 18-35 year old demographic.

“This is where you’re getting TikTok users, Facebook people, they’re in their phones. Now if we could put a political app, we might have a thing going on, they may connect to that,” she said. “We have to find a way to reconnect to the [younger] generations,” she said, regarding the importance of voting in local and national elections. Burgo, who lived in the precinct that she now serves as elections chief for when she started voting, said she feels a special connection to the people in the community and hopes to empower and motivate them to exercise their right to vote.

— Beth Beyer

11:10 a.m. — Richmond — Police Department Training Facility

At the Richmond Police Department Training facility, about 15 voters had come through the facility to vote as of 10:30 a.m. Polls had opened at 6 a.m. One of the training facility’s classrooms where voting took place, had been quiet all morning, with few voters trickling in. Poll workers expected it to pick up pace after lunch.

— Beth Beyer

11:02 a.m. — Colonial Heights — Tussing Elementary School

David George, 69, said he votes every election, and was excited to cast his vote at Tussing Elementary this year. George, who voted Republican, said the voting process was easy and straightforward, and in spite of the lower turnout said he’s optimistic more people will show up to vote as the day progresses.

Elisabeth Cannon, 34, showed up to vote at Tussing Elementary School in Colonial Heights shortly before 11 am with her eight year old son. Setting an example of participating in the democratic process for him was a big reason why she voted in the primary, she said, which she hasn’t always done in the past.

“I’m battling my own disenchantment of the process,” said Cannon. “And trying not to be the 80% that just doesn’t vote.”

— Allie Pitchon

10:30 a.m. — Colonial Heights — Tussing Elementary School

Lifelong democrat Hand Barrett, 77, said he votes every chance he gets. Although he’s voting for Joe Biden in November, today he voted for Nikki Haley at the Tussing Elementary School polling site in Colonial Heights.

“To keep Donald Trump out of the White House is my biggest motivation,” said Barret, who blamed general voter apathy for the lower than normal voter turnout. “I am a lifelong Democrat and I voted for Nikki Haley just to say to Donald Trump that there are other people in the world.”

-Allie Pitchon

10:20 a.m. — Richmond — Virginia Museum of History and Culture

At the Virginia Museum of History and Culture in Richmond, about 60 voters had come through the facility to vote as of 9:30 a.m. The museum’s conference room was quiet at around 10 a.m. with a few voters trickling in. Emily Maurer, 26, voted for Marianne Williamson. She had planned to write in “uncommitted” on the Democratic ballot, in protest of President Joe Biden’s support of Israel during the conflict in Gaza that has left thousands of Palestinians, including children, dead. There was not an available spot on the Virginia presidential primary ballot to write in “uncommitted,” however.

“I didn’t know what to do,” she said. “I wanted to show my distaste with the President’s actions on the genocide happening in Gaza.” Come November, her plan is to vote in down ballot races but she does not plan to vote for either Biden or former President Trump.

10:05 a.m. — Colonial Heights — Tussing Elementary School

At Tussing Elementary School, one of five polling sites in Colonial Heights, a steady but low trickle of voters make their way into the school every few minutes. They are mostly older and arrive in ones or twos, stopping occasionally to say hi to familiar faces and joke about there not being much of a line before continuing on their way.

Voter turnout is lower than usual, even for a primary, said poll workers. This, despite the fact that the school is usually one of the more popular polling sites in the city.

—Allie Pitchon

10:00 a.m. — Richmond — Humphrey Calder Community Center

At the Humphrey Calder Community Center in Richmond, 68 voters had come through the facility to vote as of 9 a.m.

The community center gym, where the magic happened, was quiet at around 9:20. One woman who came in to vote had to be issued a provisional ballot. She had torn up her absentee ballot after receiving an email from what appeared to be an official source that told her to instead vote on Super Tuesday. She declined to comment.

An employee from Sen. Tim Kaine’s campaign stood outside to collect signatures. He also declined to comment.

Brooke Taylor, 73, who came out that morning to cast a Democratic ballot said she’s “terrified” former President Donald Trump will win in November. If he clinches the nomination she said she’ll spend time volunteering to help get out the vote for President Joe Biden.

“I think that’s going to be critical,” she said.

— Beth Beyer

9:38 a.m. — Petersburg

A total of 174 votes have been cast at the seven polling places in Petersburg since they opened at 6 a.m., registrar Dawn Wilmoth said. When you add in early voting and absentee ballots, Wilmoth said, the city is looking at at about 8.6% turnout.

− Bill Atkinson

9:27 a.m. — Ward 4 — Hopewell

At Hopewell High School in Ward 4, Shawntelle Sass-Adih shares why she feels it is important to vote in every election.

—Kristi Higgins

9:15 a.m. — Ward 5 — Hopewell

—Kristi Higgins

8:45 a.m. — Hopewell — Patrick Copeland Elementary

Turnout is slow so far at this Hopewell polling site.

—Kristi Higgins

8:20 a.m. — If you've got a ballot, you can drop it off today, too.

—Kristi Higgins

8:05 a.m. — Precinct 109, Chester — Elizabeth Scott Elementary

If the candidate she voted for is not on the ticket in November, Ruth Chilton will still vote. “I will always vote no matter what. It’s important to be part of the process and make sure who is running our country and affecting life. If you don’t vote, you don’t have the right to complain. I like to complain if I need to.”

7:15 a.m. — Precinct 109, Chester — Elizabeth Scott Elementary

Voters steadily arrive to Precinct 109 to cast their ballot for who they would like to see represent their party on Election Day in November.

—Kristi Higgins

7:00 a.m. — Precinct 109, Chester — Elizabeth Scott Elementary

— Kristi Higgins

6:00 a.m.

And the polls are open on Super Tuesday.

In Petersburg, early voter turnout for the primaries has been underwhelming according to the city's registrar, Dawn Wilmoth, who described turnout as "extremely low to a trickle."

The total count for in-person early voting was 469, with 401 Democrats and 68 Republicans.

"Normally it is an indication of what to expect from Election Day as well," said Wilmoth about the low voter turnout. "So we expect a low turnout."

Meanwhile, absentee voting by mail stands at a 999 total, with 935 Democrats and 64 Republican absentee ballots. The city mailed out 1563 ballots in total.

For more information on voting this Tuesday, you can visit the city's website here. Polls will open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

In Colonial Heights, early voter turnout was also lower than anticipated, according to the city's registrar, which likely indicates a lower turnout than usual at the polls on Tuesday.

The total count for in-person early voting was 418, with 58 Democrats and 360 Republicans.

Absentee voting by mail stands at a 202 total, with 82 Democrats and 120 Republican absentee ballots. The city mailed out 352 ballots in total.

— Allie Pitchon

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Super Tuesday LIVE Blog: What we're seeing at the polls in Petersburg, Colonial Heights and Hopewell