Dan Genz, The Examiner
2008-02-14 08:00:00.0
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WASHINGTON -

Virginia lawmakers say they will examine lengthening voting hours after Tuesday night’s ice storm kept Virginia commuters from the polls.

The Virginia Board of Elections also will ask the General Assembly for reforms that would make it easier to extend hours in the case of emergency.

Residents complained Wednesday that the state did not extend hours beyond the polls’ scheduled 7 p.m. closing for drivers stuck on icy and clogged highways, while Maryland added 90 minutes to compensate for the gridlocked regional road network.

The state had no estimate Wednesday of the number of voters unable to make it by the 7 p.m. close, but Election Board Secretary Nancy Rodrigues said, “Even one vote is too many.”

The state Board of Elections has no authority to extend its hours and must rely on campaigns or political parties to ask a judge to make the decision.

“I can’t take out my magic wand,” Rodrigues said. “It takes a court order to do this.”

The severity of the traffic problems was not clear until less than an hour before the polls closed. While election officials prepared at 6:45 p.m. for a campaign to request a court order, they learned five minutes later that none was coming, and the polls closed on time at 7 p.m.

The state can consider a number of remedies next year, including keeping polls open longer for all elections and reviewing procedures for emergency conditions, said Del. Mark Cole, R-Fredericksburg, chairman of a committee overseeing elections.

“My district is predominantly commuters, so I know that it’s tough. Anytime somebody has a flat tire on I-95, it adds an hour to the trip,” Cole said.

The decision to extend Maryland voting hours, which were scheduled to close at 8 p.m., came just after Virginia polls had closed.

Jeanette Der Bedrosian contributed to this report.

Timeline

» 6 p.m.: Virginia officials talk with party officials about the weather problems.

» 6:45 p.m.: Virginia officials alert county and city election registrars that voting hours could be extended.

» 7 p.m.: Virginia polls close.

» Just after 7 p.m.: Maryland extends voting deadline from 8 to 9:30 p.m.

» 9:30 p.m.: Maryland polls close.

» Midnight: Traffic gridlock at the Springfield Mixing Bowl is finally cleared.

dgenz@dcexaminer.com