Record Numbers Casting Absentee Ballots in Va.
Count Is More Than Double 2002 Election Tally

By Amy Gardner
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, November 3, 2006

Voters across Virginia are casting absentee ballots in record numbers this year, signaling not only the growing popularity of early voting in busy lives but also the likelihood of heavy turnout Tuesday, state and local election officials said yesterday.

More than 114,000 voters have requested absentee ballots or voted early in person, according to the State Board of Elections. That compares with 44,500 who voted absentee in 2002, the last time there were midterm federal elections.

The trend is pronounced in Northern Virginia jurisdictions. In Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and Arlington counties and in Alexandria, the number of absentee voters is on track to more than double over 2002, local election officials said.

In populous, Democrat-leaning Northern Virginia, where a heavy turnout could determine the outcome statewide in the tight U.S. Senate race, the absentee numbers could be good news for Democrat James Webb, who is trying to unseat Republican Sen. George Allen.

"It's a very close race," said Linda Lindberg, Arlington's general registrar. "People feel very strongly about both the Senate race and the . . . constitutional amendment" proposing to ban same-sex marriage.

Voter frustration with President Bush, the Republican-controlled Congress and the war in Iraq may be fueling interest in this year's elections, but local officials said the increase in absentee voting is probably attributable to other factors as well.

"There's been a steady incline in absentee voting over decades," said Tom Parkins, Alexandria's general registrar. "More and more people are doing it. It's convenient."

That's particularly true in Northern Virginia, where voters often endure long commutes and have trouble making it to the polls before or after work.

Absentee voting is open to a variety of voters with special circumstances. They might be disabled, for instance, or planning to be out of town, or they might know that work will keep them away from home for at least 11 hours on Election Day.

Steve D. Bradford, 51, voted absentee at Loudoun's election headquarters in Leesburg last night because he will be traveling to Arizona on business next week. Bradford, who has voted absentee before, finds it convenient.

"I just had to fill out a paper ballot," he said. "It was very quick. No wait."

There's still time to vote absentee. Although the deadline to request a ballot by mail has passed, qualified voters may vote absentee in person through Saturday at their jurisdictions' election headquarters.

Voters who met the deadline and received a paper ballot by mail may drop it off at local election headquarters as late as 7 p.m. Tuesday. Election officials won't count the ballots until the polls close; most local governments in Virginia report absentee totals along with other results on election night. But military ballots from overseas are counted by hand and could delay final absentee counts, local election officials said.

Another factor influencing the high absentee numbers is the prevalence of voting problems nationwide, election officials said. Widespread electronic voting problems -- and long delays for voters -- during Maryland's Sept. 12 primary, for example, might be pushing voters to the security of the paper ballot, officials said.

Also affecting the numbers is a relatively new federal law requiring state election officials across the country to ensure that military personnel stationed overseas may vote by e-mail.

Vickie R. Williams of the State Board of Elections said overseas ballots probably account for as much as 10 percent of Virginia's absentee vote.

Finally, local election officials have orchestrated public awareness campaigns to let voters know that absentee balloting is an option. Fairfax and Prince William have sent literature to voters explaining who qualifies, how to obtain an absentee ballot and why it is an attractive alternative to waiting in line or rushing home to vote before the polls close.

Political candidates have encouraged absentee voting as well, and they are doing more than ever to reach out to voters who vote early. Reps. Thomas M. Davis III and Frank R. Wolf, both Republicans from Fairfax, send letters to voters who request absentee ballots to ask for their support.

"Pushing absentee voting has become a much bigger part of campaign strategy," said Davis campaign manager Nick Meads. "A lot of voters in our district have long commutes. They're not always able to make it back to the polls. Certainly, we want to make sure our voters are aware of absentee voting as an option."

Whether Davis, Wolf -- or Allen -- will benefit from heavy absentee voting in Northern Virginia is unclear. Absentee balloting has historically favored Republicans in Virginia because of the heavy absentee turnout among military personnel.

But the region is increasingly voting Democratic, and with polls showing that dissatisfaction with national leadership is high, a heavy civilian absentee turnout in such communities as Arlington, Fairfax or even Loudoun could help Democrats.

So could heavy turnout in general, which, judging from the absentee numbers, is likely.

"The past week or two weeks, it's really had the feel of a presidential election," said Parkins, the Alexandria registrar. "I don't think we're going to hit presidential turnout in Alexandria or Virginia. But certainly it will go far beyond what we're used to."