Midterm Election 2018: Virginia Voting Guide

RICHMOND, VA — While the 2018 midterm election campaign has been one of the hardest-fought in recent memory in many states — President Trump is traveling around the country to rally the GOP base while former President Obama has hit the campaign trail for Democrats — but nothing that dramatic seems at stake in Virginia, where incumbent Sen. Tim Kaine seems likely to win a second term over GOP challenger Corey Stewart.

A couple of Congressional races have grabbed the spotlight in the Commonwealth, including the campaign to represent Virginia's 5th Congressional District which pits political newcomer Republican Denver Riggleman against Democrat Leslie Cockburn, and the 10th district matchup between Republican Rep. Barbara Comstock and her Democratic challenger, state Sen. Jennifer Wexton. That seat has been one of the more closely watched races leading up to the 2018 midterms. Democrats are eyeing the 10th district among others in the effort to win back the majority in the Nov. 6 general election.

On Tuesday, voters will rule on two ballot items about whether cities or counties may provide a partial tax exemption for property that experiences recurring flooding, and a proposed property tax exemption for veterans and their surviving spouses and surviving spouses of soldiers killed in action.

And voters will also make choices in local contests. To learn where you go to vote, and see your sample ballot before you head to the polls, go to the Virginia Department of Elections Website.

Here's what you need to know about candidates, key races, polling places, and more ahead of Tuesday.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VOTING
The polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day in Virginia. Anyone in line at 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

What to bring

When voting in-person, Virginia law requires all voters to provide an acceptable form of photo identification (photo ID) at the polls. There are many different types of photo IDs that voters can use when they vote. All of the acceptable forms of photo ID can be used up to a year after ID has expired. These photo IDs include:

• Valid Virginia Driver’s License or Identification Card
• Valid Virginia DMV issued Veteran’s ID card
• Valid United States Passport
• Other government-issued photo identification cards (must be issued by US government, the Commonwealth of Virginia, or a political subdivision of the Commonwealth)
• Tribal enrollment or other tribal ID issued by one of 11 tribes recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia
• Valid college or university student photo identification card (must be from an institution of higher education located in Virginia)
• Valid student ID issued by a public school or private school in Virginia displaying a photo
• Employee identification card containing a photograph of the voter and issued by an employer of the voter in the ordinary course of the employer’s business
• For a more detailed list of acceptable IDs >>>

If you need a ride to the polls, here's how to get one.

If you encounter any difficulties while voting — unusually long lines at the polling place, insufficient ballots, harassment or intimidation by overzealous advocates as you enter — tell Patch about it and we'll investigate it with our nonprofit partners at ProPublica.

Virginia voters may look up their polling place or they may contact their General Registrar for more information.

Races for Senate, Congress

Democrat U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine is well known to Commonwealth voters, having served as governor from 2006-2010 and as the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2016. He faces Republican Corey Stewart, a member of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors since 2003 who last year gained a following when he nearly beat Ed Gillespie for the Republican nomination for Governor of Virginia.

RealClear Politics polls showed Kaine with an 18 percent lead over Stewart.

In the 5th District the GOP's Riggleman represents the party of Donald Trump to his opponents, while Cockburn is seen by some as a former big-city journalist with a television star for a daughter. RealClear Politics shows the race a tossup, with Cockburn at 46 percent and Riggleman at 45 percent of the vote.

During an economic forum last month in Lynchburg, the biggest difference between Riggleman and Cockburn appeared to be over the Trump tax cuts, according to the Roanoke Times. She called the cuts, which are estimated to add $1.9 trillion to the deficit, "criminal." He countered that, "Tax cuts do not cause deficits, spending does."

At their last debate in Charlottesville, Cockburn and Riggleman argued about the latter's promise to work with the ultra-conservative House "Freedom Caucus" if elected, according to The Daily Progress. Pressed by Cockburn about its skepticism toward levels of damage caused by climate change, he said he's his own person. When the audience chuckled, he said, "I can be in the Freedom Caucus and I can vote in the way that I want to."

Not mentioned during the debate was "Bigfoot erotica," a topic late last July when Cockburn claimed Riggleman appeared to have an obsession about the mythical creature's sex life. These days Cockburn's campaign is more about linking Riggleman to Trump.

SEE ALSO:

• Cockburn Vs Riggleman In Virginia's 5th Congressional District
• Comstock Vs Wexton: Virginia House District 10 Race Heats Up

The showdown between Republican Rep. Barbara Comstock and her Democratic challenger state Sen. Jennifer Wexton for Virginia's 10th congressional district seat has been one of the more closely watched races leading up to the 2018 midterms. Democrats are eyeing the 10th district among others in the effort to win back the majority in the Nov. 6 general election.

Current representative Comstock, was elected in 2014 and is seeking her third term. Some voters already know her competitor Wexton as the state senator for Senate District 33, which encompasses much of Loudoun County and part of western Fairfax County.

RealClear politics shows the incumbent Comstock in trouble, behind Wexton by 8 percentage points.

Virginia Congressional races:

• U.S. House Virginia District 1
• U.S. House Virginia District 2
• U.S. House Virginia District 3
• U.S. House Virginia District 4
• U.S. House Virginia District 5
• U.S. House Virginia District 6
• U.S. House Virginia District 7
• U.S. House Virginia District 8
• U.S. House Virginia District 9
• U.S. House Virginia District 10
• U.S. House Virginia District 11

You can find more information on these candidates, and third-party candidates seeking office, on the Ballotpedia website.

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