Collegiate Times

After speaking with the registrar's office to cancel her Virginia registration, she requested a Pennsylvania absentee ballot. Last week, her Pennsylvania ballot and her Virginia voter identification card both arrived at her residence hall address. She said that she then called the Montgomery County Registrar's office and was informed that if she received a voter card, then she was registered to vote. She did not check that information online and showed up to St. Michael's to vote at 5:30 p.m. At approximately 8:10 p.m., she emerged from the polling place visibly upset, forced to cast a provisional ballot because her name did not appear on the election rolls.

While students who cast provisional ballots can contest their case tomorrow at the Christiansburg Government Center beginning at noon, she said that classes between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. prevent her from getting her vote counted.

Theresa Jones, a senior biology major, underwent similar difficulties.

"I moved here from Fairfax County, I changed my registration. I gave them the right address and then I got a rejection letter saying my address was invalid. I didn't even get to keep a copy of the original to check against," Jones said. "I know I did this right, I had assistance from experts on campus, I feel like I was wronged."

Overall, Montgomery County had very few registered voting complaints. Only 12 voting issues arose countywide according to OurVoteLive.org. Fairfax County had the greatest number of voting complaints and problems at 156.

With Virginia voting for a Democrat for the first time since 1964, many students expressed both their pleasure with Democratic candidates Barack Obama and Mark Warner and their excitement at voting.
Freshman Ashley Dalton said she was an excited first-time voter and she'd be punching her ballot for Barack Obama.

"I'm worried about abortion, I'm pro-choice," Dalton said, "I like Obama's change message."

Freshman Kevin Mak said he was voting for Obama as well, though he was less than enthusiastic.

"I think I've really had to choose the less-worse candidate," Mak said, "A couple of my friends are straight-up Nader people, but I really think there needs to be a middle-of-the road choice."
Whatever their choice, voters often cited their preference for voting in person despite the lines.

"You can actually go and vote on Election Day, to actually walk in," to the polling place, said Will Fry, a sophomore psychology and physics double major. "It's actually Election Day. It's a little strange of hearing about for two years on the news, it's insane that tomorrow there won't be an election."

While Fry was drawn in by symbolic goods, freshman human nutrition, foods and exercise major Laura Tyeryar said she was surprised and pleased at finally being able to cast her first ballot.
"This is the most exciting election I've seen," Tyeryar said, "We finally count, our opinion matters."

Dennis Hartman, a Blacksburg resident for the past 30 years, didn't have ideological or emotional reasons for getting into line at 5:50 a.m. at St. Michael's.

"I thought I would be ahead of the line ... I wanted to beat the crowd so I can go fishing," Hartman said.

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