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Voter turnout up; spirited write-in campaign changes Hamilton's leadership
Voter turnout for town elections May 6 was projected to be lower than in previous years, as many thought incumbents would carry the house. Write-in votes and hot topics, however, shook things up this year.
Voter turnout was up about 5 percentage points overall from the 2006 town elections, according to the Loudoun County Board of Elections. Loudoun's smallest town, Hillsboro, brought the highest percentage of voters at 51 percent, as well as the greatest increase in voter turnout, up 22 percentage points from the 2006 election. But Hamilton brought the biggest surprises.
Hamilton's voter turnout went up 15 percentage points. And by the time polls closed May 6, what had looked like an unremarkable, uncontested race in Hamilton ended with incumbents Patrica Maher-Wade and Craig Green out of office, and political newcomers Ken Wine and Tom Rollins ready to start their first terms in office. A last minute write-in campaign made the difference.
Another newcomer, Dimitri Kesari, received 36 write-in votes, two less than the 38 votes that returned incumbent John Unger to council.
Wine, 38, grew up in the Hamilton area, graduated from Loudoun Valley High School in 1978. He owns several businesses – Wine Woodworking and Kenneth C. Wine Carpentry. He has just started a new venture, the General Store, with partners Donald and Lesley Lowry.
He was approached about a week ago, he said, by some people who “didn't like the way things were going in town,” and agreed to the write-in campaign.
“I guess I'll get a rude awakening when I get to my first council meeting,” Wine said. “I've never been into politics.”
The sudden change in the makeup of the council caught Mayor Ray Whitbey, halfway through his four-year term, by surprise. Neither of the new council members has shown an interest in politics, Whitbey said, or, to his knowledge, participated in community activities.
The town's positions on lighting could have irked some citizens, Whitbey said. Another possibility could be the issue of the commuter parking lot at the Hamilton Safety Center, which council opposed.
“It's the will of the people,” Whitbey said. “The 20 percent who voted set the benchmark for who is elected.”
Rollins, according to Wine, also was in the Class of 1978 at Valley. Rollins did not immediately return a call for comment on his new position.
Leesburg, the town with the largest population in Loudoun, had the lowest voter turnout, with only 8 percent of its registered voters visiting the polls.
Election officer Bob Merhaut, who was working at the polls at Ida Lee Recreation Center, said voter turnout might have been low because polling places had been moved in town.
“I think it's mostly because this is the first time we've held it here [at Ida Lee],” Merhaut said. Some residents used to vote at the Loudoun Street volunteer fire station, now closed to voters.
Four candidates ran for three electable council seats in Leesburg, while Mayor Kristen Umstattd ran unopposed.
Councilwoman Katie Hammler, who was re-elected May 6, said, “Taxes, transportation and growth are top items, but the funding [for road improvements] is critical.”
Leesburg resident John Cullinane said he voted to fulfill his civic duty, but tax increases also were on his mind.
“I'm really concerned about property taxes,” said Cullinane, development director of the Good Shepherd Alliance. He said he came out to support council candidate Frank Holtz, who lost.
Council winner Tom Dunn said, “We must spend sensibly to reduce taxes. And we must work hard to try to revitalize downtown Leesburg.”
Fellow winner Dave Butler said revitalizing Leesburg's downtown was a top priority, adding that a performing arts center would be a nice addition to the town.
Lovettsville saw an increase of about 9 percentage points, which could be attributed to the mayor's race. Mayor Elaine Walker was re-elected, defeating Richard Greene. This will be Walker's 11th term.
Forty minutes before the polls closed, Raphael Jeu – chief election officer at the Lovettsville Community Center -- said voter turnout was between 20 and 21 percent, up from 14 percent in 2006.
“It's been pretty good,” Jeu said. “There seems to be a little more interest in the election this year.”
He speculated that voter turnout could be up from the last town election because the mayor's seat was being contested. In 2006, Mayor Elaine Walker ran unopposed and there were four candidates for three seats. This election, three candidates ran for three Council seats.
“My goals [for the next two years] are to hopefully complete some of the projects that I wished for and began,” Walker said.
Candidates ranked commercial development, business friendliness and new schools among the top issues concerning residents.
For Lovettsville resident Anna Marie York, however, habit more than any particular issue brought her out to the polls.
“I always vote,” she said.
Middleburg showed a drop in voter turnout, down about 12 percentage points from 2006 with no contested races by the end.
Election official Dottie Martel, who has worked at the polls for 31 years, said compared to previous years, this year was slow.
“We only have four candidates [running for four seats],” she said. “Here there are no issues.”
Purcellville voter turnout increased about 4 percentage points. Incumbents dominated the race, as Mayor Bob Lazaro and Council members Joan S. Lehr, Gregory W. Wagner and C.J. Walker were re-elected.
“I think the town likes having a team [on council] working together” to find solutions to the challenges facing Purcellville, Lazaro said.
Resident Michael Jones said, “Town growth and then the new high school” were issues that brought him to the polls May 6. Jones' wife, Victoria, added, “And the power outages.”
Round Hill also saw an increase in voter turnout, of about 5 percentage points.
Candidates said utility fees and finding additional water sources were among the top issues concerning voters.
“I feel like [the current town council] is not keeping the small-town mentality,” said one voter, who wished to remain anonymous. She said she cast a vote for write-in candidate David Simpson, a surveyor. “We've got to stop building houses and roads.”
Write-in candidates captured 34 out of the 76 votes cast for mayor. However, Councilman John W. Heyner won with 42 votes. He will vacate his council seat July 1. The council will appoint an interim council member to this seat until Heyner's council term expires in 2010.
Reporters Shannon Sollinger and Jana Renn and editors Paul Smith and Anne Keisman contributed to this article.
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