Virginia Election 2013: Did Obama Put 'Fear of God' into Arlington Democrats?

Update (3:40 p.m. Tuesday): Small lines formed about every 30 minutes Tuesday at Madison Community Center, and a couple of times in the morning they stretched out the door, poll workers said.

By 2 p.m., 45 percent of registered voters in the key Madison Precinct in North Arlington had cast their ballots. Caroline Klam, the chief election officer, expected to easily pass 50 percent before the day was done.

"In an off, off election, this is good for us," said Klam, who has worked the polls since Barack Obama first ran for president in 2008.

A handful of voters who declined to give their names said they came to the polls to vote against Republican Ken Cuccinelli.

Outside of the polls, Republicans and Democrats handed out sample ballots — and both major parties asked people to vote no on the referendum to create a housing authority in Arlington.

Voter Glenn Johnson had his two sons with him.

"I always try to vote — try to set a good example for the kids," he said. "I think they learn something from it."

Arlington resident John Smathers said he was upset the way politicians twist information, which causes people to draw conclusions based on partial info.

"Both sides, really, they'll focus on part of the facts of an issue and then blow it out of the water," Smathers told Patch after voting at Madison. "So, there's really no sense of the issues. I think it's ridiculous."

Update (9:44 a.m. Tuesday): Poll workers and watchers in Arlington have noticed an early trend this Election Day: They're seeing a good number of State Department employees turn out to vote.

"We've had an unusually high number of individuals who work for the State Department who are back from overseas who are showing up at the polls. We think it's because of sequestration and perhaps the government shutdown," Arlington County General Registrar Linda Lindberg told Patch.

"That's the one unusual thing we've seen this election."

The observation is based on the number of voters who have showed up who requested absentee ballots mailed to them last year, Lindberg said. Most overseas voters tend to be State Department employees, she said.

Lindberg expects countywide turnout to be close to 50 percent by the day's end.

That's a noticeable increase over the 43 percent who turned out in 2009, the last time Virginia voters picked a governor. As of 8 a.m., Lindberg estimated 10 percent to 12 percent of active registered voters had already cast ballots based on the latest information she had available.

"We haven't had huge crowds. We have had a steady stream of voters at most of our polls," Lindberg told Patch.

Part of the reason election watchers are expecting better turnout this year than 2009 is because of the several thousand more absentee ballots that were cast this year compared to four years ago.

Original article (5:30 a.m. Tuesday): Election Day in Arlington this year is all about the turnout.

The Arlington County Republican Party did not field any candidates for state and local offices, all of which are currently held by Democrats.

Given that, it's almost no surprise that Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe held a rally with President Barack Obama in Arlington on Sunday.

In state and national elections, Democrats lean heavy on Northern Virginia to deliver the votes they need to win. And if nothing local is contested, complacency or confidence may keep some Arlington Democratic voters from the polls.

It's why Obama, who carried Arlington with 72 percent of the vote in 2008 and 69 percent in 2012, told voters here on Sunday, "Nothing makes me more nervous than when my supporters start feeling too confident. So I want to put the fear of God in all of you."

Arlington County Treasurer Frank O'Leary, whose voter turnout predictions are a local tradition, has forecast 51.1 percent of the 137,027 active registered voters in this county will cast ballots this year.

O'Leary also believes absentee turnout this year will exceed 7,400 ballots — breaking the previous record set in 2006 (when 7,077 people voted absentee in the high-profile George Allen-Jim Webb race for U.S. Senate), and "dwarfing" the record for a gubernatorial election (set in 2009 with 4,611 ballots). 

Jay Fisette, a Democrat who, if re-elected, would likely become the new Arlington County Board chairman in January, faces Green Party candidate Audrey Clement. Clement has made past bids for the county board.

Arlington has four House of Delegate districts: incumbent Democratic Del. Rob Krupicka will face Jeffrey Engle, an independent; incumbent Democratic Del. Patrick Hope will face Libertarian Laura Delhomme; incumbent Democratic Del. Bob Brink is unopposed; and incumbent Democratic Del. Alfonso Lopez will face Terrence Modglin, an Independent Green. James Lander, a Democrat on the Arlington School Board, is also unopposed.

Arlington voters on Tuesday also will decide a referendum on creating a housing authority.

Click here for our Election Day 2013 Voter Guide.