10 hours ago
Primary election polls open in Virginia
The polls are open for today's primary elections.
Only one local government board has candidates on the ballot – the Republican primary in Beverley Manor District for a seat on the Augusta County Board of Supervisors. Justin Dimitt and Stephen Grepps have both filed to run for the Republican nomination. The current incumbent, Supervisor Butch Wells, decided not to seek re-election but is instead running for the Augusta County School Board.
Augusta County's sample ballots, including the primary specific to Beverley Manor, are available on their website.
The whole of Virginia has Democratic primaries for both the lieutenant governor and attorney general races.
Waynesboro's sample ballots can be found online. As of Friday afternoon, 138 Waynesboro voters took advantage of early voting in person, and 329 submitted absentee ballots.
Staunton's sample ballots are also available online. As of Friday afternoon, 322 Staunton voters participated in early voting, and 260 voted absentee by mail.
The candidates for lieutenant governor include:
Levar Marcus Stoney – Stoney bio
Babur B. Lateef – Lateef bio
Aaron R. Rouse – Rouse bio
Victor R. Salgado – Salgado bio
Ghazala F. Hashmi – Hashmi bio
Alexander J. Bastani – Bastani bio
The candidates for attorney general include:
Shannon L. Taylor – Taylor bio
Jay Jones – Jones bio
Both local candidates for the board of supervisors offered a final campaign statement before voters hit the polls:
I am thankful to have had the opportunity to run in this primary. I have gotten to see old friends and to meet so many wonderful people in the Beverley Manor district! If I have not yet gotten to your house or spoken to you by phone, let me use this chance to ask you for your vote. It would be my honor to serve as your representative on the Board of Supervisors. Together, let's continue to make Augusta County even greater!
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As we approach the conclusion of the Primary on Tuesday, I want to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude to my family for their unwavering support throughout this campaign. I am also deeply thankful to the dedicated volunteers who committed countless hours to help us reach voters across the Beverley Manor District.
Our campaign knocked on over 1,000 doors, engaged in conversations with thousands of voters and distributed more than 2,000 mailers. Yet, what stands out most are the personal, one-on-one conversations. I have been truly humbled by the number of families who welcomed me into their homes to discuss the issues that matter most to them. These conversations reaffirmed something important: residents of the Beverley Manor District care deeply about how their local government functions.
Throughout this campaign, I have pledged to uphold the highest standards of transparency and accountability. One theme that consistently emerged - often unexpectedly - was the frustration many citizens feel with the long-standing "good old boy" network that has influenced local politics for too long.
Regardless of Tuesday's outcome, I remain committed to supporting the Republican effort to make Augusta County an even better place to live and raise a family. I wish my opponent the best of luck in the election, and I want to thank everyone who took the time to speak with me over these past few months.
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Lyra Bordelon (she/her) is the public transparency and justice reporter at The News Leader. Do you have a story tip or feedback? It's welcome through email to lbordelon@ Subscribe to us at
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Primary election polls open in Virginia