by Rebecca Sims

Next Tuesday, November 2^nd is an election day in Virginia. While Virginia holds elections every year, this one is particularly special as it is a gubernatorial election. Virginia is one of two states (New Jersey being the other) to hold a gubernatorial election this year, and a great deal of importance has been placed on the election as of late.

            The gubernatorial election, or the election of governor, can serve as a testing point to see how society is feeling about the current presidential party, especially in a year where there are no other federal elections occurring, like this year. In years where the president is favored by society writ large, the candidate sharing that party tends to perform better at the polls. The same applies in reverse as well, with the candidate that shares the party affiliation doing worse in years where the president is less liked. This was demonstrated in the last mid-term election in 2018, when the Democrats won control of the house, in part to Trump’s poor approval ratings.

            Currently, projection polls show the Democratic candidate, Terry McAuliffe, and the Republican candidate, Glen Youngkin, in a close race. McAuliffe shows about a one-point lead on Youngkin, but with a margin so close, the election will most likely be a nail-biter for both parties. This close race may be due in part to President Biden’s low approval rate (42%), and results may be a good indication of what is to come in the 2022 mid-term election.

            If you have not voted early or voted by mail, make sure to attend your district’s voting site on November 2nd! The school will be offering free rides to students who are registered to vote in the Winchester city district from campus to the voting site. Remember to go to https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation/Lookup/status to look at your registration status and confirm your polling site.