Mother Nature May Play A Role In Voter Turnout

(Alexandria, VA) -- Voter turnout in today's general election is not expected to be high, but polling station officials across Northern Virginia say the nice weather that's being forecast should help people get out the vote. Earl Flanagan, an elections official in the Mt. Vernon precinct of Alexandria, says, "It the weather is good, it would be much more heavier on almost any election that I've witnessed over the last twenty years." Flanagan expects traffic will pick up throughout the day. He says at his precinct, voters need not worry about long lines anyway, citing better training of staffers, the use of paper ballots, and a fast and easy optical scanner system. Polling stations across the state are open today until 7 p.m.