by Jackie Nunnery
Irvington Mayor Harris, Rep. Wittman reelected; Lancaster and Northumberland swing Republican,,Virginia votes for Democratic ticket, Trump declared winner
KILMARNOCK—One of the most anticipated presidential elections is over. According to the Virginia Department of Elections as of 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, November 6, over 4.6 million ballots had been cast across the Commonwealth with 15,408 ballots cast in Lancaster and Northumberland counties.
Virginia law allows ballots postmarked on or before November 5 and received by noon on Friday, November 8, to be counted. Results are unofficial.
Lancaster results
Some 7,264 ballots were cast in Lancaster, a 76% voter turnout for the general election. In the presidential/vice presidential race, Republicans Donald J. Trump and JD Vance received 3,821 votes (52.89%), beating Democrats Kamala D. Harris and Tim Walz with 3,313 (45.85%) votes. Green Party candidates Jill E. Stein and Rudolph T. Ware III received 14 votes; Libertarians Chase R. Oliver and Mike ter Maat, 21 votes; independents Claudia De la Cruz and Karina Garcia, 12 votes; independents Cornel R. West and Melina Abdullah, 10 votes; and write-in, 34 votes.
For U.S. Senate, Republican Hung Cao beat Democratic incumbent Timothy M. Kaine with 3,844 (53.6%) votes versus 3,322 (46.32%) votes. There were six write-in votes. For U.S. House of Representatives, District 1, incumbent Republican Robert J. Wittman beat Democratic challenger Leslie C. Mehta with 4,177 (58.53%) votes versus 2,951 (41.35%). There were eight write-in votes.
Towns
In Irvington, incumbent mayor Julie W. Harris won reelection with 239 votes. Challenger Samantha C. Van Saun received 120 votes. For the three seats on town council, Frances E. “Fran” Westbrook, Mary Cary “Cay” Bradley and Frederick Fitzpatrick Johnson won with 243, 219 and 191 votes respectively. There were 105 write-in votes. In the special election for the seat which expires December 31, 2026, Bonita W. “Bonnie” Schaschek won with 273 votes. There were 22 write-ins.
Three seats were up for election on Kilmarnock town council. Mae P. Umphlett, Michael S. “Mike” Bedell and Alice Cooper won those seats with 437, 479 and 357 votes respectively. There were 17 write-in votes. Because Kilmarnock is a split precinct with Northumberland County, Umphlett, Bedell and Cooper received another 14, 14 and 12 votes respectively.
In White Stone, Charles M. Brocklebank, Tad E. Pittman, Kathryn S. “Scotty” Roop and AnnGardner Eubank were all reelected to the four expiring town council seats with 107, 108, 106 and 103 votes respectively. There were 10 write-in votes.
Northumberland results
Some 8,144 ballots were cast in Northumberland, a 76% voter turnout for the general election. In the presidential/vice presidential race, the Trump/Vance ticket received 4,877 votes (60.11%), beating Harris/Walz with 3,146 (38.78%) votes. Stein/Ware received 20 votes; Oliver/ter Maat, 24 votes; De la Cruz/Garcia, 12 votes, West/Abdullah, seven votes; and write-in, 27 votes.
For Senate, Cao beat Kaine with 4,856 (60.30%) votes versus 3,191 (39.62%) votes. There were six write-in votes. For the House, Wittman beat Mehta with 5,255 (65.43%) votes versus 2,755 (34.30%). There were 22 write-in votes.
Constitutional Amendment
Some 93.05% of Virginia voters were in favor of a revised amendment to the state constitution that would give a tax exemption for the principal residence of a surviving spouse of a soldier who died in the line of duty. The previous tax exemption included only those killed in action.
Congressional races
In the race for Senate, Kaine won out over Cao with 54.11% of the vote versus Cao’s 45.71%.
In the race for the District 1 House seat, Wittman beat out Mehta with 264,372 (56.53%) of the vote versus Mehta’s 202,488 (43.30%).
Presidential race
Although a handful of states were still counting ballots, Trump is expected to win the presidency.
The Associated Press early Wednesday morning declared Trump the winner after he cleared the 270 electoral college votes needed to win.
In Virginia, the state showed 51.63% of the vote going to the Harris/Walz ticket, with 46.29% going to Trump/Vance. Stein/Ware received .75%; Oliver/ter Maat, .44%; De la Cruz/Garcia .18%; West/Abdullah, .2%; and write-in, .51%.
