Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 16, 1995 TAG: 9511160034
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
"But I can't even balance a checkbook," admitted Wamsley, a professor who teaches budgeting and founding director of Virginia Tech's Center for Public Administration and Policy. "My finances are kind of a joke."
Treasurer Ellis Meredith, who was unopposed - officially - was soundly returned to office. But his race garnered 10 of the 21 write-in votes cast in Montgomery County for this month's election.
Some people cast write-ins, which takes a degree of effort, as a joke. Others do it to make a statement of dissatisfaction with their choices.
Christiansburg lawyer Rod Crowgey received five write-in votes for treasurer. All five of those votes were cast in the A-2 precinct at the Blacksburg Municipal Building.
Other vote-getters for treasurer included: two votes for Bambi; one for Steve Fijalkowski - a state trooper who unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for commissioner of revenue. He also got a write-in vote for that job.
Joe Painter, a Blacksburg lawyer, also got a vote for treasurer, though he's gotten more attention for his tongue-in check campaign - complete with press releases, ink-pens and bumper stickers - to become Sheriff of Nottingham-Sherwood Forest. ("Robin Hood Falls in '96" is his campaign slogan.)
Larry Linkous, chairman of the Board of Supervisors and its District F representative until the end of the year, lost his bid to unseat Jim Shuler in the House of Delegates. But at least one person wanted to see him stay on in his supervisor role. He got a write-in vote for that post, and one for School Board. Marty Gordon, a reporter for the News Messenger, also got a write-in vote for District F supervisor.
The four-way sheriff's race wasn't wide enough for four voters. Joe Miles and Tommy Whitt, unsuccessful in their bids for the Democratic nomination to run for sheriff, each garnered one write-in vote. Car salesman Kenneth D. Strauss got two.
The most creative write-in, though, has to go to the person who voted for the late Jerry Garcia, former leader of the Grateful Dead, rather than Del. Morgan Griffith, who was unopposed in his bid to return to the House of Delegates.
Griffith said he always encourages people to vote, even if they write in candidates. He once cast a write-in vote in an unopposed race himself, he said.
About 40 write-in votes were cast in his race this year - Griffith called registrars to check. He "likes to look at the numbers and try to track folks down and see what they're dissatisfied with," he said.
by CNB