NORFOLK, Va. — Inside Norview Middle School in Norfolk around 12:30 Tuesday afternoon, just over 100 people had voted according to poll workers their.
The school was one of the city's many polling locations for the statewide 2025 Primary election.
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According to the city, over 5,100 people are registered to vote in the area the polling location covers.
Similarly, across town at the Chrysler Museum, when News 3 stopped by around noon poll workers said a little less than 200 people had voted.
Over 4,500 people are registered to vote there.
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Voters News 3 talked with said national issues, including the economy and immigration, are what’s on their minds as they cast their ballots.
“Everybody that came here, and is working here, they deserve to be here and work for the American Dream just like we do," said Norfolk resident Malinda Johnson.
"I'm really discouraged with the national," said Norfolk resident Martha Shore. "I'm actually hoping we're part of a sea change."
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By mid-afternoon, the voter registration office in Norfolk didn’t have a vote total, but said about four percent of the total registered voters voted during the early voting period.
Up on the peninsula, in Hampton as of 2:30 Tuesday afternoon, just over 2 percent of registered voters had voted and in Newport News about 3,000 of the more than 124,000 registered voters had voted.
Early voting, however, was high. Statewide, around 200,000 early votes had been counted as of June 16.
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Political analyst Dr. Eric Claville tells News he’s not surprised turnout was high, but he was surprised by just how high.
He called it unprecedented and believes it's the result of enthusiasm among democratic voters to respond to what’s happening nationally, especially with the economy.
“When you look at what’s happening with international conflicts that may involve the U.S. at some point, when you look at domestic policies where it involves various choices individuals make, it pales in comparison to economics," Claville said. "It’s all about economics. How does it affect your kitchen table. That’s going to be the winning message for any party in this election cycle in November.”
Claville also said prominent names in Hampton Roads in statewide races will help the area continue to be what he calls the epicenter of political power.
