Vienna Votes: Slow Morning For GOP Primaries

The two Vienna precincts that call home on Election Day account for about 3,217 area voters.

But only 48 of them had cast votes just before 11 a.m. Tuesday in the Republican primaries

Precinct 206 saw 31 of 2,360 active registered voters come to the voting booths in Tuesday's first five voting hours, poll workers said. Precinct 204, which represents 857 voters, saw 17 voters by 11 a.m. — a rate of three or four voters an hour, poll worker Lawerence Lee King said.

The Kilmer Middle School precinct had seen just 34 of 3,827 voters by 10 a.m.; Thoreau Middle School saw 19 of its 1,637 voters in that time.

"People just aren't amped up about primaries," said King, He anticipated his precinct would only see 50 to 75 people by the time polls closed at 7 p.m.

Vienna voters who did go to the polls cast ballots in two races: the 11th Congressional District Race, which has and vying for a chance to take on incumbent Gerry Connolly, and an open U.S. Senate seat, which has drawn four candidates — ,  and -— hoping to face Democrat Tim Kaine come November.

Independent Mark Gibson is also running in the 11th District. He is required to gather 1,000 signatures by today to get onto the November ballot.

The issue, one long-registered Vienna Republican said,  is "there's a passion for the election but not too much passion for any particular candidate" in the primary, he said.

That will change come November, he said.

"It's almost like people are waiting for the big game," said Lori Christensen, a Republican volunteer who stayed dry under a tent waiting to give information to voters.

"And the rain doesn't help," she said.

Elsewhere in the county, candidates stepped out to the polls themselves and visited other precincts hoping to encourage voters.

Former senator and Gov.  and wife  greeted voters at Washington Mill Elementary School, a precinct near their home in Mount Vernon.

"I had the honor of serving Virginians in the U.S. Senate, as well as governor, and I know the communities and the people, and that’s not something that’s easily done just in a year of campaigning," Allen said. "We have good friendships and relationships throughout Virginia, so the bigger the turnout, the better it’ll be for us. We’re cautiously optimistic.”

The Allens plan to visit other precincts around Northern Virginia today before heading to a rally in Richmond to await results.

Chris S. Perkins arrived at Orange Hunt Elementary School in Springfield at 7 a.m. this morning after voting in his home precinct in Lorton.

"I hear how angry people are about the lack of progress in Congress," said Perkins. "It's important to send the message today that voting is our mechanism for change, and it's important for everyone to get out and vote," he said.

"Vaughn and I are both fiscal conservatives, so it comes down to how serious is your solution," said Perkins.  "Vaughn's solution is to offer massive cuts to balance the budget in just one year," he said.  "My more serious answer is to address regulatory reform over time.  The changes should not just come from budget cuts. Vaughn also supports cuts in defense and veterans benefits, and I just can't support those," he said.

Bob Marshall stepped out of his white Ford Crown Victoria and slowly strolled up the sidewalk of Signal Hill Elementary School in Manassas to cast his ballot at his home precinct.

“I’m satisfied with what time I had [campaigning]; I can’t tell who’s voting. This is like flying blind with no instruments or anything,” Marshall said of his campaign. “I had a lot of volunteers around Virginia, but clearly we didn’t have the money that (Republican U.S. Senate candidate) George Allen did, but this— at least the way it looks like it's turning out—is a campaign of intensity, not one of name ID. We’ll find out at 7 o'clock tonight how accurate that is.”

Patch editors Susan Larson and Jamie Rogers contributed reporting for this story.

Patch will follow the election throughout the day. Check back for results and reactions after polls close this evening.