ELECTION 2024: Economy, women's rights, character among key issues for Henrico voters

By Reeve Boeckmann, Mary Margaret Clouse and Jenna Lapp, Special to the Citizen

In Henrico County’s Three Chopt District, the economy and women’s rights were at the forefront of voters' minds as they cast their votes in national and local races on Election Day.

Nearby in the Tuckahoe District, immigration and abortion were at the forefront of voters’ minds as they cast ballots at various polling places Tuesday morning.

Voter turnout in Henrico County brought out voters of all ages and was steady throughout the day, according to poll workers across the county. 

Democrat Kamala Harris claimed a resounding victory in the county, earning more than 63% of Henrico's presidential vote (110,323) to Republican Donald Trump's 35% (60,774). Harris also won Virginia, with just shy of 52% of the vote with 90% of the state's total reporting just before 1 a.m. Wednesday.

By about 1 p.m. Tuesday, Tuckahoe Middle School had seen more than 500 voters, election officers Vernon Stephens and Karen Sowers said. 

“It’s a pretty smooth operation,” Stephens said. 

Stephens and Sowers agreed that they saw significantly more young people turning out at the polls than in previous years. 

Many voters in the Three Chopt District were driven to vote by concerns about women's rights and the future for young people, as well as rent costs and mortgages.

“I think Trump is a fascist and I would rather vote for a Black woman who doesn't share all of my values than vote for a white man who shares none of them,” said Jayson Gray, who voted at Three Chopt Elementary. 

Melanie Blevins, who voted at Three Chopt Elementary School, said the main issues that brought her out to vote were abortion, economic policy, and democracy.

Mother and son Susie and Stephen White also voted at Three Chopt Elementary and said that the issues they found most important were the economy, immigration, and “stopping wars.”

As they left the polls, some Henrico voters expressed frustration with both major political parties and the perceived lack of meaningful change. The presidential election was the main motivator for many voters who hoped their chosen candidate would bring the leadership needed to address the nation’s challenges. 

“I think that we need a little bit of different language and discussion around politics than what we have today,” Chris Giacchi, a corporate human resources director, said. Giacchi voted for Harris because he believes that she provides the right leadership for our country, he said.

Several voters who supported Trump chose not to share their names, citing safety concerns. Some Harris voters said they voted for her simply because she is not Trump.

“She’s not nuts,” Farah Khaja, a local business owner, said. “She’s actually qualified for the job.” Khaja also voted for Tim Kaine to win Virginia’s Senate seat because Republican Hung Cao gave “Trumpy vibes,” she said. (Kaine won a third term, with about 54% of the vote to Cao's 46%.)

Kimora Nash, a first-time voter and high school student, said she voted for Harris because she felt that Trump exhibited "dictator vibes."

Jorge Benitez, an adjunct professor at Virginia Commonwealth University, also voted for Harris, emphasizing the importance of protecting the Constitution. Retiree Chris Ham echoed this sentiment, expressing concerns about the direction of the country.

Jordan Carrero, an employee at Koch's Automotive, said his religious beliefs were a driving force behind his decision to vote. For Carrero, abortion was the most important issue on the ballot.

“I'm a Christian,” Carrero said, “so I believe that all life is important. So I definitely am voting for children.”

Poll workers said that the Election Day energy was civil and enthusiastic. Democrat and Republican poll greeters at Tuckahoe Middle School, Three Chopt Elementary School and Nuckols Farm Elementary School handed out sample ballots for their respective candidates outside the polls, speaking to voters before and after they voted.

Dylan McAuley, a democratic poll greeter at Three Chopt Elementary, said voter turnout was steady throughout the day. He said that he saw several voters wearing political shirts and hats, and that he was called a “Marxist” earlier in the day. 

A voter at Nuckols Farm Elementary, Angela Ross, said she particularly valued abortion rights and freedom of religion.

“I am 100% against Trump, everything he stands for,” Ross said. “I used to be very moderate and listen to both sides, and ever since Trump came on the scene, I will not cast one vote for any Republican.”

An architect in Henrico County, Jonathan Fraser, voted at Three Chopt Elementary. He said the rhetoric surrounding both campaigns was important to him.

“I'm an honor code kind of guy,” said another Tuckahoe Middle School voter, Terry McIlwain. “As the honor code reads, thou shalt not lie, cheat or steal or associate with ones who do.”

-Citizen Publisher Tom Lappas contributed to this article