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Voter registration ends

Nonpartisan volunteers hit high-traffic areas in last push before Virginia, D.C. deadlines

Originally published 12:50 a.m., October 7, 2008, updated 12:50 a.m., October 7, 2008

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With the presidential election one month away and the deadline for voter-registration ending Monday in Virginia and the District, volunteers from both campaigns and nonpartisan groups worked feverishly over the past few days at Metro stops, supermarkets and other high-traffic areas to find potential voters.

"This presidential election is considered the most important in a generation," said Wesley Weidemann, founder of the nonpartisan Virginia Votes group. "Regardless of outcome, the increased level of interest and participation is a victory for American democracy in 2008."

Winning the state is considered crucial in the presidential campaigns of Republican candidate Sen. John McCain and Democratic candidate Sen. Barack Obama.

Virginia voters have not sided with a Democratic presidential candidate since 1964, but Mr. Obama, wife Michelle and vice-presidential running mate Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. have made a combined 11 appearances in the state since June. The Obama campaign also has opened 49 offices throughout the state.

Mr. McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, have appeared just once together in the state. But the McCain campaign said the two will hold a joint rally in Virginia Beach on Monday morning, followed by an afternoon rally in Richmond featuring Mrs. Palin.

The Virginia deadline was 5 p.m. Monday and the District's was midnight. Twenty-one other states also had voter-registration deadlines Monday. The deadline in Maryland is Oct. 14.

"It's been amazing - hectic, but amazing. I can guess that we probably registered 10,000 to 12,000 voters just over this weekend," said Mr. Weidemann as he and several other volunteers stood outside of the Ballston Metro station Monday afternoon as dozens of potential voters patiently awaited their chance to register.

Virginia and the District have had a net increase of registered voters since the beginning of this year, with more than 306,000 new voters registered in Virginia, up 7 percent from last year, while the District has roughly 22,000 newly registered voters, according to the respective boards of election.

In Virginia, 42 percent of newly registered voters are under 25. There are currently 4.9 million Virginians registered to vote, while the District has about 400,000 registered voters.

National voter turnout in the 2004 general election was 60.7 percent, the highest turnout rate since 1968. Virginia ranked 31st in the country with 59.8 percent of eligible voters casting ballots. The District ranked 23rd with a 62 percent turnout.

Virginia Votes reports a record number of voter applications in Arlington County and estimates registering 20,000 to 30,000 new voters in Northern Virginia this year.

The Obama camp this weekend got help from actors Blair Underwood and Megalyn Echikunwoke at voter-registration rallies in Hampton Roads. And actor-comedian George Lopez hosted a drive for Mr. Obama in Falls Church.

Virginia Republican Party spokesman Gerry Scimeca on Monday questions the effectiveness of such celebrity-driven events.

"If people come out to be entertained, I don't know what their level of interest in the election is going to be," he said.

Mr. Stevens says the sheer increase in registered voters speaks for itself. In August, 49,000 Virginians registered to vote, while 33,000 registered in the first 15 days of September alone, according to the Virginia State Board of Elections.

The Republican Party in the District also increased efforts to bring voters to the polls and help reduce the margin between the 279,326 registered Democrats to 29,622 Republicans in the city.

Paul Craney, spokesman for the D.C. Republican Committee, said the recent Republican primary for a D.C. Council at-large seat between incumbent Carol A. Schwartz and her successful challenger, Patrick Mara, encouraged more Republicans to register and vote.