SALEM, Va. – At a glance, primary day in Salem didn’t feel like a turning point. But talk to the people who showed up to vote in the Democratic primary, and you hear something different.
“The way things are, it’s real important to get your vote in. You can’t complain if you don’t at least get your vote in,” voter Carl Chambers said.
Participation in primaries is often lower — Salem recorded just over 800 votes in the Democratic primary. Nearby Roanoke City saw just under 5,000 votes cast, about 7 percent of registered voters.
Some voters said they didn’t feel that the primary was well-announced or highly visible, which may have contributed to the quieter day.
“It just so happens a friend of mine said, ‘Oh, I just found out it’s the primaries today, and I can’t go,’ and I was like, ‘Well, I better get there.’ So I just don’t understand why Virginia — obviously they don’t want us to vote," voter Sue Clark said.
10 News political analyst Ed Lynch tells us that primaries often draw the most engaged voters.
“This is something that motivates very, very strong believers, but oftentimes leaves rank-and-file voters a little cold,” Lynch said.
But Lynch warns that low turnout in the Democratic primary could have consequences for the party down the line.
“I think Democrats were probably expecting a very big statewide turnout today because it’s the first chance Virginians have in Trump’s second term to make a statement about Donald Trump,” Lynch said.
Despite the low turnout and its possible impact, voters who did show up say their reasons for coming out were clear and personal.
“I ain’t really happy with the direction things are going in right now,” Chambers said.
“We can’t lose our democracy, and if we don’t vote, we’ll lose our democracy,” Clark said.
“We need to make sure we have the strongest Democratic candidates possible, especially during this time,” voter Kelly Bryant said.
For one mom, voting is also about setting an example.
“It’s really important in our political climate to make sure our voices are heard, and our kids know what they need to do when it’s time for them to vote,” voter Ashley Rivera said.
And her daughter is already learning the ropes.
“I like putting the paper in the little box,” her seven-year-old daughter Talia said.
