Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-11-05
Fairfax Reports Heaviest Voting in Nearby Area;
Virginia G. O. P Contests Record Numbero Seats

l4O members OF the General
Assembly today, with Republi-
cans entered in a record num-
Der of races in an attempt to
enlarge their membership, now
only seven seats.
Fairfax County reported the
heaviest voting Of any jurisdic-
ton in the Washington suburbs
due to one of the States live
lest races for the State Senate
as well as heated contests for
all seven seats on the Board
of Supervisors and for two
other local offices.
As the temperature became
milder, officials in Arlington,
Alexandria, Falls Church and
Fairfax City expected the mod
erate-to-ight pace to pick up
before polls close at z pm.
Republicans have entered 49
candidates for the 140 legisla-
tive seats in the State as a
whole. In addition, 100 or
more local offices are being
filled.
All Contested
Next to Fairfax. Arlington
issues have stimulated the most
interest. All of the county's
seats in the General Assembly
as we'll as two vacancies on the
county board, are contested
and a controversial bond issue
Of nearly $40 million is being
decided.
In Alexandria. a Democrat Is
unopposed to fill a State Senate
seat and Democrats have en-
countered only nominal Repub-
lican opposition for two House
Of Delegates posts.
Elmer r. Duncan. chairman
Of the Fairfax County Electoral
Board, said, There are more
poll workers for party candi-
dates and more literature being
distributed to voters than I
have ever seen before"
He predicted that more than
half of an estimated $1,000
qualified voters would turn out.
Sees 500 Voting
Members Of the General As
sembly who are elected today
will take their seats at the
regular session next January.
Those being replaced will con-
tinue 10 serve at a special ses-
sion Gov. Harrison plans to call
later this month to deal with
the expected repeal of the poll
tax in Federal elections.
The poll tax, itself, was the
source Of considerable irrita-
ton by would-be voters who
failed to make the required
$3.50 payment last May and
therefore were being turned
aside by precinct election
judges. A lot Of the complaints
were being phoned in directly
. to general registrars in the
various jurisdictions, but moth
ing could be done to help those
who hadn't paid.
Petitions for repeal Of the
poll tax were being offered
voters outside the polls in most
precincts. One set of petitions
was circulated by the recently
formed Democrats for Repeal
of the Poll Tax, headed by
Representative Jennings of
Virginia, while another set was
sponsored by the Virginia
League of Women Voters. Both
had the same objective. They
have no official status but will
be presented to the General
Assembly as evidence of voter
sentiment.
In the General Assembly
elections, members of the
House of Delegates will serve
two-year terms, while those
named to the State Senate will
serve four years.
Put at $4,000
In Alexandria, two precincts
attributed average" and three
others very light" turnouts to
the chilly weather this morn
ing. The Senate candidate
there is unopposed and the race
for two House seats has at
tracted only nominal interest.
In Richmond, Levin Mock
Davis, secretary Of the State
Board of Elections, estimated
about $4,000 would cast bal
lots in the State as a whole.
Most of the key races involve
seats in the State Senate where
one-fourth of the seats are
open to newcomers due to re-
apportionment or retirement.
Although Republicans are
putting forth their strongest
bid in modern times, there is
little danger that the Byrd
Democratic organization will
suffer any material loss of it's
strength in the Legislature.
The G. o. P. has carried the
last three presidential elections
in Virginia and it elected two
members Of Congress last year,
but its hold on the General
Assembly has dwindled in re-
cent years.