A Report From Voters in Loudoun

Post reporter Rosalind S. Helderman spent the morning at a polling place in Loudoun County. Here's a report from her:

Voters who live in fast-growing Loudoun County's Precinct 813 arrived steadily through the morning at their polling place in the Seldens Landing Elementary School, in the Lansdowne on the Potomac development.

They were greeted by both Republican and Democratic party volunteers who stood ready to hand out sample ballots. As they emerged from the polling place, they were also met by representatives of the slow-growth group Campaign for Loudoun's Future, who stood next to a large map showing approved developments in the county and asking each voter, "Are you interested in growth issues in Loudoun?" before taking names and e-mail addresses. Voters could also take bumper stickers with the message: "Don't supersize Loudoun."

Inside the school, Republican volunteer Jocelyn Tchakounte, 50, sat quietly with a massive listing of the area's registered voters on his lap. Tchakounte said he was listening carefully as voters gave their names to poll workers and trying to mark as many names of his list as he could hear. He would then give the listings to the Republican Party -- for purposes yet to be determined.

"It'll depend on what the leaders want to do," said Tchakounte, who came equipped with rules about what he could and couldn't do inside the polling place -- no buttons or stickers allowed, he said. "It's really just to see the voter turnout."

By Robert Thomson |  November 8, 2005; 3:36 PM ET  | Category:  Misc.
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