Virginians: Don't forget to vote

Politics

Virginians: Don't forget to vote

by David Alpert • November 3, 2009 10:44 am

Even if you don't live in Virginia, if you read the news or watch TV you can't have missed that today is Election Day.

Photo by Mrs. Gemstone.

You've already probably made up your minds, but just in case you are still on the fence about any races and plan to vote this afternoon, there are a few races we've reported on before whose outcome will affect transportation and development in Northern Virginia.

Governor: Creigh Deeds focuses much more on transit than Bob McDonnell. McDonnell will primarily try to fix Northern Virginia's congestion by building lots of roads, including HOV and HOT lanes, and will further the cycle of auto-dependence that's characterized development outside Arlington and Alexandria for decades. Deeds would probably further it as well, but to a lesser extent, and ensure that good transit is a larger part of the mix. Unless Deeds pulls an upset over the polls, that means we're probably in for a tough term on transportation in Virginia.

Delegate: Most Delegates have little to do with transportation or development policy beyond the issue of Democrats versus Republicans and how they'd approach paying for transportation. However, in Arlington, Bob Brink and Aaron Ringel have widely divergent views on widening I-66. The Post endorsed Ringel for no reason other than his desire to spend money on auto capacity; if you live in the District 48 part of Arlington, we'd suggest voting for Brink for the same reason.

Are there any other races with a significant transportation or development focus? Post your thoughts on the election in the comments.

22 comments

Tags: Arlington, Bob McDonnell, Creigh Deeds, politics, Virginia

Want to run a freeway through your voters' neighborhood? The Post will endorse you (Oct 27, 2009)
McDonnell still pushing WMATA takeover, vote Thursday (Oct 5, 2010)
GOPers blast the newest Dem star: How dare he pay for transportation! (Jun 12, 2009)
GO VOTE (Nov 4, 2008)
I-66 widening vote increases ire in Eric Weiss's head (Feb 23, 2009)

David Alpert is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Greater Greater Washington. He has had a lifelong interest in great cities and great communities. He worked as a Product Manager for Google for six years and has lived in the Boston, San Francisco, and New York metro areas in addition to Washington, DC. He loves the area which is, in many ways, greater than those others, and wants to see it become even greater.

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'The Transport Politic' also has a good discussion on the significance of today's governor's races in VA and NJ for transit: http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/11/03/todays-governors-races-put-transportation-on-the-ballot-indirectly/

by Ben on Nov 3, 2009 10:56 am

John G. Reeder is running for Arlington County board under the Green Party, opposing 1-66 and 395 widening.

by darren on Nov 3, 2009 11:13 am

...though, he's running against Jay Fisette, who has a pretty good track record on transportation issues

by darren on Nov 3, 2009 11:20 am

There are also several mayoral and city council contests going on today in the region - including Bowie, Frederick, Annapolis, Greenbelt, Rockville and Takoma Park.

by Bowie Mike on Nov 3, 2009 11:21 am

Reeder is also inexplicably against the Columbia Pike Streetcar project. Fisette appears to oppose I-66 and I-395 widening as well.

by Chris S on Nov 3, 2009 11:25 am

Doesn't Reeder also oppose the Columbia Pike streetcars or is that someone else?

Virginians should pass around books like Moving Minds: Conservatives and Transit and start thinking about how mass transit isn't categorically a partisan issue and the way we pay for highways and subsidize sprawl has nothing to do with conservatism.

by James M on Nov 3, 2009 11:28 am

Unfortunately, Reeder also opposes the Columbia Pike street car, calling it "wasteful", as well as opposing cultural enhancements, such as the theater in Rosslyn, and opposing the redevelopment of any historic Garden Apartment - which all seems pretty anti-smart-growth to me. He mostly comes down as just anti-growth, period. While some of his platform is laudable, such as the preservation of affordable rental units, and a plastic bag ban, he loses my vote on the larger issues. The same situation is echoed with Green candidate Ruebner in the 47th District.

by irate_reader on Nov 3, 2009 11:29 am

Thanks for sending the link about McDonnell/Deeds on transportation. I haven't seen their differences laid out as clearly as the Fredericksburg paper does before. Most of the commentaries I've read assume they are both going to prioritize highway widening, with the difference being that Deeds wants to pay for it with new taxes and McDonnell with a bunch of sources cobbled together. This paints a more favorable picture of Deeds.

by Daniel on Nov 3, 2009 12:26 pm

Bob McDonnell offers Virginia the best chance at reclaiming VDOT's old glory years that included building multiple amazing infrastructure projects in the Hampton Roads area, the Springfield interchange and others. The past decade under Democrat rule has seen an I-81 with more than half its rest stops closed, growing traffic congestion and decaying infrastucture. Virginia needs to look to Maryland where another Bob, Bob Ehrlich, funded the greatest infrastructure investment in Maryland history, the ICC which is responsible for the massive development plans on both ends of the ICC. While Virginia is stuck in gridlock, Maryland will be moving. Virginia needs a change in leadership to reverse its faltering infrastructure.

by Cyrus on Nov 3, 2009 12:28 pm

Bob Ehrlich was and still is a massive LOL, just sayin'

What Virginia really needs is a 3rd party candidate as governor.

by Zac on Nov 3, 2009 1:44 pm

Even as a democrat, I liked Bob Ehrlich. Still re-electin' O'Malley at this rate though. Vote smart, Virginians, even though its pretty clear how the elections going to turn out, at least to me.

by Mike on Nov 3, 2009 2:38 pm

Zac,

No, what Virginia really need is a Governor that can serve more than one term. A one term governorships gives the legislators too much power.

by RJ on Nov 3, 2009 4:06 pm

As far as I am concerned both the VA dems as well as the reps need to be very embarrassed over the crappy candidates that they have put forward. Furthermore, both parties should be shamed for having disgustingly negative campaigns. This also goes for he delegate races, especially the one between Werkheiser and Albo.

Note to all political parties: Stop cutting down trees and stuffing my mailbox full of your negative crap!

In short: I am very happy I can not vote here.

by Jasper on Nov 3, 2009 4:17 pm

Cyrus, you are kidding, right? VDOT and republican governors attempted to bankrupt this state.

by NikolasM on Nov 3, 2009 4:31 pm

8% of the votes are in so far....

McDonnell's up by a third so far.

by Mike on Nov 3, 2009 7:20 pm

CNN Projects McDonnell. Oh well. There's always 4 years from now.

by Mike on Nov 3, 2009 8:00 pm

Jasper echoed my sentiments exactly.

RJ: that's going to take a major change in Virginia's Constitution to allow governors to serve more than one term.

by Froggie on Nov 3, 2009 8:19 pm

It's over! McDonnell as Governor, and a net of five seats in the House leaves us with a 60-39 GOP House and a 41-39 Democratic Senate.

There aren't going to be any new taxes for transportation anytime soon. Let's hope McDonnell keeps his campaign promise for a non-partisan redistricting plan.

by Michael Perkins on Nov 3, 2009 11:19 pm

Eh, both Deeds and McDonnell were pretty terrible choices. They are party puppets and most of the people who voted for them are sheep. McDonnell will not keep his promises and if Deeds won, he wouldn't have kept his promises either.

No offense to anyone who reads this because I could wrong about you but you can't deny that a lot of sheep escaped from their pens today.

Don't worry though. This is just a cycle that were going through because of our unethical two-party system. The Republicans are next to fuck up, so then the sheep will vote Democrat. The Democrats will then fuck up, the sheep will vote Republican. This is an unfortunate endless cycle unless something is done about it, which I'd love to see.

by Zac on Nov 4, 2009 4:47 am

Oppps, I do apologize for my language. I'm just really upset overall about our dismal choices.

by Zac on Nov 4, 2009 4:48 am

It is high time for a progressive party to step forward, one with the same discipline as the repugs but actually supporting good ideas.

by NikolasM on Nov 4, 2009 10:23 am

Jim Gilmore bankrupted the state. Let's hope this Republican doesn't do the same.

by Juanita de Talmas on Nov 4, 2009 12:53 pm