Sunday, March 31, 2013
Republicans say a requirement for picture ID protects "sanctity" of the vote; Democrats argue the GOP is keeping certain voters away from the polls on purpose.
Virginia voters will need a photo ID when they're heading to the polls beginning in 2014 under new requirements signed into law by Gov. Bob McDonnell this week. Supporters argue that a voter registration card with no picture creates an opening for fraudulent voting. McDonnell spokesman Jeff Caldwell said in a statement to The Washington Post that the new law is about protecting "the sanctity of our democratic process.” Democratic leaders have challenged voter ID laws as a type of voter suppression. They note those without a photo ID are likely found among Democratic voters, particularly seniors and college students. The new law will need approval by the U.S. Justice Department, a requirement for any voting changes in most Southern states …
Monday, March 18, 2013
It was a who's who of the party faithful.
Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-11th) hosted more than 800 guests, including dozens of local politicians, on Sunday for his 19th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Fete at the Kena Shriners Temple in Fairfax. At $40 a person the event is one of the largest campaign fundraisers Connolly holds every year. "It is time we clean house in Virginia," said Connolly to the audience. "Elections matter, and every day I am reminded of the effects of the 2010 elections. It is not OK to leave billions of dollars on the table and 300,000-to-400,000 Virginians go uninsured because the idealogues don't want to expand Medicaid." Terry McAuliffe, Virginia's Democratic candidate for governor, said that his race will be focused on job creation. "I have a …
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Does the commonwealth need another name on the ballot?
Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling took himself out of Virginia's race for governor last week, leaving, at least for now, what's shaping up to be a two-person race. The choice for the Old Dominion's next governor, seven months before Election Day, seems to have boiled down to presumptive Republican nominee Ken Cuccinelli, the state's socially conservative attorney general, against likely Democratic nominee Terry McAuliffe, the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and a McLean businessman. The Republican Party of Virginia will hold its convention on May 17 and 18 in Richmond to formally select its nominee. Democrats go to the polls on June 11 to cast their ballots in several races, including governor and lieutenant governor. …
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Snyder spoke to the Greenspring Retirement Republican Club on Tuesday.
Tech entrepreneur Pete Snyder is running for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, and for more than a half-hour Tuesday morning, he talked the talk with Republicans at the Greenspring Retirement Community in Springfield. "I want to rein in the size and scope of government," said Snyder. "You hear politicians talk about this all the time as budgets continue to rise. And when you look over the past 20 years, budgets in Richmond have grown by over 400 percent. The population of Virginia has only grown by 40 (percent). Something is out of whack. So, I want to make it a goal to rein government in by 10 percent. That's not that audacious, but the career politicians and others will tell you it can't be done. And that's the problem." Snyder, 40, a …
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Activist who released Patrick Moran video would not cooperate with investigation, according to police.
Patrick Moran, the congressman's son who was caught on tape seemingly giving advice on how to skirt voter identification laws, will not face any criminal charges, the Arlington County Police Department announced Thursday. Authorities have concluded their three-month investigation into election offense allegations against Moran, son of U.S. Rep. Jim Moran, a Democrat who represents parts of Northern Virginia. The allegations stemmed from a video released in late October by conservative activist James O'Keefe, whose methods and productions have been called into question in the past. The younger Moran resigned from his father's reelection campaign within hours of the video's release. Moran, 23, lives in South Arlington. Patrick Moran and his …
Monday, January 21, 2013
... and who would he support in 2016?
U.S. Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., talks to Patch about why President Barack Obama doesn't get a honeymoon this time, obstruction in the House of Representatives, sequestration and other topics at the Virginia Inaugural Ball. More: Virginia Inaugural Ball: 'You Can't Help But Feel Optimistic' Photos: Virginia Inaugural Ball
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Republican candidate Ken Cuccinelli and his Democratic challenger, Terry McAuliffe, gunning for 2013 election.
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Saturday, January 19
By Katherine Johnson, Capital News Service RICHMOND – Less than $150,000 separates Virginia’s two candidates for governor, according to campaign finance reports filed by Republican candidate Ken Cuccinelli and his Democratic challenger, Terry McAuliffe. Cuccinelli ended the year with $1.2 million in his campaign war chest, while McAuliffe had a little over $1 million, according to finance reports posted on the Virginia Public Access Project. The numbers take into consideration all money raised and spent from July 1 through Dec. 31 of 2012. The candidates filed the reports Tuesday, and they were immediately posted by VPAP, a nonprofit organization that promotes public understanding of money’s role in Virginia politics. As of this point, …
Friday, December 14, 2012
Group will focus on reducing wait times at county polls.
A newly appointed election commission will examine efficiency at the polls in Fairfax County in an effort to prevent the long waits some residents dealt with Nov. 6. from happening again. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors appointed members to the commission Dec. 4 and charged them with reviewing the county’s election system and developing recommendations for improvement. Board Chairman Sharon Bulova proposed the bipartisan commission, a motion that passed unanimously despite some supervisors worrying about the cost and legal ramifications. The commission will focus primarily on ways to cut down severe wait times reported by residents in various districts. Some voters reported manageable wait times of no more than 30 minutes, but the …
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Herring represents central and west Alexandria in the state House of Delegates.
Charniele Herring, the state delegate whose district includes West End Alexandria, was selected Saturday to lead the Democratic Party of Virginia. Herring was voted into the top spot during the party’s Central Committee meeting Saturday morning in Williamsburg. She released the following statement Saturday: "I am humbled by the strength and diversity of Virginia Democrats," she said. "I look forward to fighting every day to ensure we continue to elect Democrats here in this great Commonwealth." Outgoing party Chairman Brian Moran announced his resignation last month. Herring has served in the House of Delegates since 2009 and is currently minority whip. She has told Patch she plans to keep her delegate seat while serving as party …
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Virginia's lieutenant governor made the announcement Wednesday morning.
Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling announced Wednesday morning that he is hanging his hat up in the race for governor, likely to clear the way for Ken Cuccinelli, Virginia’s attorney general, to win the Republican nomination. “For the past seven years I have had the honor of serving as Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor and it had been my intention to seek the Republican Party’s nomination for Governor in 2013,” he said in a statement Wednesday morning. “However, not everything we want in life is meant to be.” Bolling cited a change in the nomination process as his reason for dropping out. In the past, nominees were chosen in a statewide primary, but the 2013 candidates will be chosen at a party convention. “I reluctantly concluded that the decision to …
Larry Gross
5:29 pm on Sunday, May 5, 2013
you have to qualify to register but once you do provide the required information why not receive a photo ID - just like you do when you get a drivers license? If we want to require photo-id, fine - provide one when you register to vote.... I don't have a problem with photo id when you register to vote but I do have a problem when they do register you and then later on - even though you are … more ›