ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, June 9, 1996 TAG: 9606070016
SECTION: HORIZON PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
When: Tuesday. Polls are open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
What: Virginia Republicans hold a primary to choose a U.S. Senate candidate.
Didn't the Republicans just hold a state convention in Salem?
Yes, but that was just to elect a new state party chairman and fill various party offices. Warner exercised his legal right as an incumbent to seek renomination through a primary rather than a party convention.
Who can vote?
Any Virginia registered voter is eligible to vote in the primary. Because Virginia doesn't register voters by party, there's no such thing as a "registered Republican" or a "registered Democrat."
If you're not sure if you're registered or if you want to check your polling place, call your local registrar or the State Board of Elections in Richmond, toll-free at 1-800-552-9745.
A sense of history
Virginia has primaries infrequently and defeating an incumbent U.S. senator is even rarer.
The last time Republicans held a statewide primary was 1989, when they nominated Marshall Coleman for governor.
The last time Virginians defeated a U.S. senator was 1972, when Democrat William Spong lost to Republican William Scott.
Not since 1966 has a U.S. senator in Virginia been denied renomination, when Spong upset Willis Robertson in the Democratic primary.
What happens next
The winner of Tuesday's Republican primary will run against Democratic nominee Mark Warner, an Alexandria cellular telephone entrepreneur and former state party chairman, in the Nov. 5 election.
Want more information?
Visit our on-line voters' guide at: http://www.infi.net/roatimes
LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS CONGRESSby CNB