Nearly 80% of Rapp voters cast ballots
Political divisiveness seen on the national level did not seem to make its way to Rappahannock County on Election Day as voters across the county turned out in large numbers to cast their ballots.
“We might not agree politically, but we can still live together peacefully,” said Castleton resident Ruth Welch, who was attending a watch party Tuesday night at Quiévremont Winery hosted by the Rappahannock Republican Committee.
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Republican watch party at Quievremont Winery as the event winds down at 11:30 p.m. and according to former Rappahannock Republican Committee Chair Terry Dixon, “we are feeling optimistic.”
Rappahannock voters had an impressive turnout of 79% — 5,016 ballots were cast out of 6,380 registered voters.
Former President Donald Trump was reelected Tuesday night, with 51% of the country voting in his favor. Vice President and Democratic presidential hopeful Kamala Harris won Virginia, receiving 51.6% of votes, and Trump received 46.3% of Virginia votes. Nationally, Harris received 47.5% of the vote.
Rappahannock Republicans swept each of the county’s precincts for the presidential, congressional and senate races.
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Party volunteer Demaris Miller with first-time voters Paige Molyneaux and Taryn Williams at the Republican information area at the Chester Gap polling station. “I’ve noticed a lot of young people out to vote for the first time, which is encouraging,” said Miller.
According to Rappahannock County unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections, Trump received 2,901 votes, or 58%, and Harris received 2,020 votes or 40.4%.
Vote totals reported on election night include early in person votes and absentee ballots received by the Registrar of Voters in the Town of Washington. Provisional ballots and absentee ballots postmarked by Election Day will be counted later this week.
Democrat Suhas Subramanyam, 10th Congressional District candidate, declared victory over his opponent district-wide, receiving 51.9% of the vote. Republican candidate Mike Clancy received 47.7% of votes across the district.
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Sharon Luke chats with party volunteer Sonya Hepinstall at the Democrat information area at the Chester Gap polling station.
Subramanyam received 1,938 Rappahannock votes, or 39.7%. Republican candidate Mike Clancy received 2,925 votes or 60% of the votes in Rappahannock.
Incumbent Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat, was reelected, receiving 54.1% of votes statewide — but received 2,031 votes in Rappahannock, or 41%. Republican candidate Hung Cao received 45.7% of the vote statewide, but secured 2,908 votes, or 58.7%, in Rappahannock County.
‘It’s been kind of a party’
Local political party volunteers set up tents outside each of the polling places on Tuesday to welcome voters.
“It’s been kind of a party,” said Democratic Party volunteer Mary Sherman-Willis outside the Sperryville fire hall. Stephanie Atkins, a volunteer at the Republican’s booth, agreed, saying volunteers on both sides of the aisle had been working together all day.
“It doesn’t really matter what candidate gets in there, as long as our culture and our values are presented and represented,” Atkins said. “I hope that we find a way to go back to where our neighbors matter more than party affiliation.”
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Lynn and Mary Williams check in at the Chester Gap polling station.
Trump overwhelmingly won Rappahannock County in both 2020 and 2016, winning about 56% of the vote in both elections. In 2020, Biden received 42.1% of the vote in Rappahannock, and in 2016, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton won 39% of the vote, or 1,747 votes.
“This is an election that is about much more than who wins,” wrote Huntly resident and Democrat Ralph Bates. “It is about returning to a normalcy in our entire nation where civility, dialogue and compromise define our behavior and our decisions.”
Castleton resident and former Republican committee chair Terry Dixon said “[Rappahannock] has always been pretty civil.
“I think this is one of the most critical differentiations of candidates and what they believe in than it’s ever really been in the past … We’ll see what happens this election, I’m hoping it comes out right,” Dixon said.
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Former Rappahannock Republican Committee Chair Terry Dixon with his dog Beauregard at a Republican watch party at Quievremont Winery.
While party volunteers and residents maintained civility on Election Day, voters still emphasized the importance of the historic election and shared their opinions about the candidates.
“This election is a chance to elect our first female president,” wrote Sean Harrigan, chair of the Rappahannock County Democratic Committee, prior to Tuesday night. “It is a chance to choose a candidate with policies, not concepts of a plan … The Democratic Party is the party of democracy. The Republican Party is the party of Trump. It’s time to move on. We’re not going back.”
Amissville resident Angelina Rene wrote to the Rappahannock News that Trump has exposed the country to “deeply negative divisive” rhetoric.
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Voting at the Amissville firehall on Tuesday morning.
“To me, this historic election represents not just a battle for our freedoms, rights and privileges as Americans but also a battle between good and evil at its core,” Rene wrote. “Trump embodies all that is broken, reprehensible, and evil and Vice President Kamala Harris exemplifies all that is healthy, whole, and good within humanity.”
Woodville resident Alex McKee said at the Republican committee’s watch party that she has noticed ripped political yard signs along the road.
“When I go down the road … and I see certain signs being ripped in half, I see that there’s a division. It’s sad, but it’s there,” McKee said.
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The Rappahannock News submitted a public records request to the Sheriff’s Office in late October for all reports related to stolen or destroyed campaign signs. Sheriff Connie Compton sent two reports of vandalized yard signs, both in Amissville.
“Republicans and Democrats … we’re all invested in the Rappahannock community,” said Ruth Welch.
Foothills Forum reporter Ireland Hayes contributed to this report
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