JUSTIN COOK The Roanoke Times

A serviceman votes at Luther Memorial Lutheran Church in Blacksburg on Election Day.

JUSTIN COOK The Roanoke Times

Don Kelsey helps his wife, Cynthia, vote at Blacksburg Middle School on Election Day. Blacksburg saw an increased voter turnout for its first November town elections.

| Anna L. Mallory and Sharla Bardin

The Roanoke Times

Increased voter turnout during Blacksburg's first November town council election and the overwhelming decision by Christiansburg residents to move their local races to the fall could cause Radford leaders to look harder at a proposal to do the same.

On Tuesday, 21,904 ballots were cast for four open seats on the Blacksburg Town Council. That means at least 5,400 voted in the town -- three times the number in the May 2008 council election, according to the Montgomery County registrar's office.

In Christiansburg, 88 percent of the 5,271 people who cast ballots were in favor of moving their elections to November of odd-numbered years, starting in 2011.

The theory is that voters paying attention to national races also would focus on local candidates. But it's hard to tell if this year's gubernatorial race actually helped the numbers because of voters' habits.

"Sometimes, people will come in here and vote for whoever is in front of them" on the ballot, said Registrar Randy Wertz.

Wertz said he was impressed with this year's turnout in Blacksburg, as those numbers typically are reserved for bigger races.

In the 2008 presidential race, 19,908 of the 40,653 ballots cast in the Barack Obama-John McCain race came from precincts that include Blacksburg residents. However, it is difficult to break down how many of those voters actually live in the Blacksburg town limits or in precincts that stretch into the county, Wertz said. The state's system does not allow him to drill down to that level of numbers.

Regardless, the winners of the town council race -- incumbent Susan Anderson and newcomers Krisha Chachra, Cecile Newcomb and John Bush -- said they think the change in election months was a good move and that voter participation increased.

Chachra also said the statewide elections such as the governor's race may have prompted more people to go to the polls.

Anderson said she thinks the election switch in Blacksburg was a good move. "I think anytime more citizens vote your democracy is stronger."

Those are all issues that Radford officials are grappling with after city Registrar Tracy Howard made the suggestion to switch city races from May to November as well.

Howard said Wednesday he's hoping that turnout for Christiansburg's referendum will empower the city council, or even city residents, to support the idea.

"Now that Christiansburg has gone to it, quite overwhelmingly, I hope that they [the city council] will re-examine the cost-savings measure and give it the opportunity it deserves," he said.

Howard estimates that the move will save the city $3,500 to $4,500 every two years without having to print ballots and pay election officers in May.

In the past, the city council has discussed the move and decided against it. Some council members have expressed the same sentiment this time around, while others support the option.

Legally, the council has until Dec. 31 to make the decision and move the spring election. If council members don't take it up soon --they have about three meetings left before then -- Howard said at least one resident has discussed starting a petition. That's what residents in Christiansburg did.

However, councilmen Bruce Brown and Richard Harshberger both say it's a topic that deserves to be discussed, particularly in light of the Christiansburg results.

"I had intended to pitch it and see where we go," Brown said, although he said he does have reservations.

He and Harshberger share the same concern that political motivations in November elections would get in the way of what they deem more independent city elections.

Howard said he fears council is too worried about the impact on incumbents.

Anderson, the Blacksburg incumbent, said a November election for town council can be tough as well as expensive for candidates to get their word out about their campaigns with other races, such as state and county offices, happening at the same time.

Still, the increased voter turnout is enticing, Harshberger said.

Historically, turnout for Radford's May elections fluctuate the same as Christiansburg and Blacksburg. Turnout in the two towns' May elections has ranged from 8.45 percent to 22 percent since 2000.

In Radford, the May 2008 election drew in about 13 percent of registered voters; 2006 May election, 17 percent. That's compared with about 27 percent who voted in the November 2007 election and 48 percent in the November 2006 election.

Brown said he hadn't thought of that wrinkle, but he did say he is slightly worried that Radford University students, who outnumber year-round residents, could sway a vote.

Chachra said she thinks having Blacksburg's election in November may also have encouraged Virginia Tech students to vote. Tuesday's election may have been easier for students to fit into their schedules instead of May elections when students are also busy juggling final exams and preparing to leave for the summer, she said.