THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 9, 1994 TAG: 9411090476
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KEITH MONROE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
In beautiful autumn weather on Tuesday, Hampton Roads voters streamed to the polls to cast ballots in one of the ugliest U.S. Senate races in memory.
Turnout was heavy - from Alanton Elementary School on Great Neck to Lakeview Elementary School in Portsmouth, where 750 of 2000 voters had already cast ballots by 11 a.m.
Voter turnout in Hampton Roads was not only heavy for a mid-term election, but may end up besting the turnout during many recent presidential and gubernatorial election turnouts.
``What we're getting from most of the voters is they are determined to vote this time,'' said Marlene Hager, Virginia Beach's registrar.
Deloris Overton, Portsmouth's registrar, said she expected Tuesday's voting would top the 61 percent turnout in last year's gubernatorial election.
Norfolk's registrar, Ann Washington, said the city's turnout meant ``good marks for democracy.''
``We had lines,'' Washington said. ``Rarely do we have people waiting in line in Norfolk to vote, so this is good. This is healthy.''
The story was the same at the Tarrallton Community Center in Norfolk and the National Guard building that serves as the King's Fork polling place in rural Suffolk. Voters who couldn't agree on anything else agreed they'd better get out to vote even if they had to hold their noses to do it.
The race was described as filthy. Many voters said they were glad it was over and one wished she could vote in another state. A man thought Virginia had far better people for office than any on the ballot.
A mighty chorus said it was sick of the mud-slinging and the lying and the smearing. A Norfolk woman said the fight was so dirty, ``it's not funny no more. Lots of people are discouraged by this.''
Bob Mosby, a Virginia Beach pediatrician, said he wished the race had been less personal. He chose Charles S. Robb because Robb appeared to be more moderate and ``his experience was a factor. He'd represent the state of Virginia better.''
John Robertson, a civil engineer also voting at Alanton, disagreed. He said he wished the campaign had focused more on the future than the past, but decided something had to be done to shake up Washington. So he cast a vote for Oliver L. North. Yet he chose to retain Owen Pickett in office.
In the Tarrallton precinct, Ralph McDonald said he was a hunter and NRA member so his vote for North was easy: the gun issue was decisive. But he, too, split his ballot to vote for Pickett.
Crystal Lassiter in Portsmouth said she thought turnout there was high because ``people are coming out to vote against North, especially black people. Everybody's making the effort.''
Nathaniel Perdue, a retired military man in Portsmouth, said this race ``almost turns you against politics.'' But he chose ``the lesser of two evils.'' And that was Robb. He said he'd vote for Virginia's other senator, Republican John W. Warner, anytime he was on the ballot. ``But I'm afraid of Ollie North,'' Perdue said. ``And unfortunately he's going to get a lot of votes because a lot of people are sick of what's going on. But it's not the Democrats' fault.''
That was certainly not the view in Suffolk, where the angry voter is not a myth. Rebecca Ferraro rattled off a talk-radio litany of grievances against politicians, including their support for welfare and by unions, their inflated retirement pay and perks. She said, ``I'd never vote for a lawyer. We've got more of them than rats.'' She cast her votes enthusiastically for non-lawyers Oliver North and George Sweet.
Craig Burkholder in Suffolk also said he'd chosen North. ``The three biggest issues for me are abortion, gun control and bringing the American family together.''
And across Hampton Roads, one Republican rallying cry seemed to be resonating. A Suffolk woman spoke for many when she said she'd voted for North and Sweet because ``anybody who's with Clinton, I want out. I want them all gone. I hope it will be countrywide.''
KEYWORDS: U.S. SENATE RACE VIRGINIA RESULTS VOTING< by CNB