On State's Election Map, Some Areas Are Purple Question Marks

In recent presidential contests, Prince William has given Democratic candidates slightly better numbers than in Loudoun. Bush won Prince William with 53 percent of the vote in 2000 and 2004. Obama should start with a solid base because Prince William is about 20 percent black, but McCain could do well among the county's large numbers of active and retired military personnel.

· Rappahannock County: Rappahannock, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, has a population of about 7,200. But it sometimes stands out on election night electoral maps because it is a Democratic dot surrounded by solidly Republican counties. Bush won Rappahannock by about 350 votes in both of his races. In 2005, Kaine won it by 114 votes. A year later, Webb won it by 148 votes.

· Caroline County: With about 27,000 people, Caroline is just south of Fredericksburg. It often sways between the two parties. Former vice president Al Gore (D) carried it by 441 votes during his unsuccessful presidential bid in 2000, but Bush won it by 121 votes in 2004. A year later, Kaine carried it with 54 percent of the vote; in 2006, Webb won it by 191 votes. Turnout among African Americans, who make up 29 percent of the county's population, is key to Democratic prospects.

· Henrico County: Richmond's conservative suburbs have rarely flinched from their Republican leanings since the early 1970s. But Democrats are optimistic about Obama's chances this year in Henrico, which surrounds Richmond.

Although it is not growing as fast as some counties in Northern Virginia, Henrico is starting to take on some of the qualities of Fairfax, especially in the western neighborhoods near the Short Pump mall. About 28 percent of the population is black. Bush easily won Henrico in his races, but Kaine won it by eight percentage points in 2005. (Kaine, a former Richmond mayor, was the local candidate.) In 2006, Webb lost Henrico by 562 votes out the 101,000 that were cast.

· Nelson County: This mountainous county of 15,000 is southwest of Albemarle County, which surrounds Charlottesville. With a mix of rural voters and transplants from liberal-leaning Charlottesville, Nelson has become a tossup in presidential contests. In 2000, Bush won it by six votes. Four years later, he lost it to Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass) by four votes. Webb and Kaine won it fairly easily.

· Montgomery County: Between the Appalachian Plateau and the Blue Ridge Mountains, Montgomery includes Blacksburg, which is home to Virginia Tech. Bush carried the county twice, but Kaine and Webb also won it. Results this year could depend on the turnout among Virginia Tech students.