We’re on to Virginia!
Virginia Democrats are concerned about the surprisingly close Governor’s race between Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin. A popular former Governor like McAuliffe should be lapping the newcomer Youngkin already, but polls indicate this is instead a tight race.
Democratic officials are worried that, without Donald Trump himself on the ballot, Democratic voters aren’t motivated enough to vote, as they were in 2020 to dump Trump — which they resoundingly did. But despite all appearances, as the Republicans try to hide their true colors, Trump essentially is on the ballot.
Glenn Youngkin is a truly a Trumper, though he pretends otherwise. In fact, if Youngkin were in the Marvel Universe, he’d be known as a shape-shifter, who takes on whatever appearance will work to his advantage in any given situation.
When Youngkin was talking to Republican audiences, he was a total Trumpster, fanning the flames of bogus election fraud claims, and proclaiming that election integrity was the #1 issue for his campaign. But when he is talking to audiences in the General Election, he is nothing like that. He has managed to hide the most radical aspects of his agenda.
In the recent candidates’ debate, McAuliffe effectively painted Youngkin for what he is, a Trump wannabe who would reverse the progress Virginia has made in the last few years on women’s rights, voting rights, criminal justice reform, gun reform, healthcare, and more – and set Virginia on a course comparable to Texas under Abbott or Florida under DeSantis.
Thus, the stakes are extremely high, and Virginia Democrats need to bring the same urgency to this election that they brought in 2020. And there is no excuse for failing to participate in the election, because, thanks to Democrats, voting is more accessible than ever for Virginians, who can vote by mail, by drop-off ballot, and by in-person early voting, in addition to voting in person on Election Day, November 2.
The Virginia Department of Elections provides information on the various ways Virginians can vote: Absentee and Early Voting – Virginia Department of Elections. Individual Counties have also posted useful information online for their residents. For instance, here is the site for Virginia’s most populous County: Fairfax County Absentee Early Information.
Early voting has already begun in Virginia, and the following are important deadlines to keep in mind:
• October 12th – Final Day to Register to Vote or Update your Voter Address
• October 22nd at 5 p.m. – Deadline to Apply to Vote-By-Mail
• October 30th – Final Day to Vote Early In-Person
• November 2nd – Election Day, and the Deadline to Return Vote-by-Mail Ballots
If you are a Virginia voter who wants to keep Trump’s policies out of the Commonwealth, please vote and urge your like-minded friends and relatives to do the same. Even if you are outside of Virginia, please do whatever you can to encourage progressive Virginia voters to make their voices heard in the election. Voter turnout is the key, and just as in the California recall, we cannot afford to lose this election.
