Heather Bell
RADFORD – Radford voters headed to the polls Tuesday, making their choice for president, senator and the House of Representatives, as well as the Radford City Council and Radford City School Board.
Of the city’s 9,591 registered voters, 6,091 cast ballots in the elections, representing 64 % of the electorate, according to the Virginia State Board of Elections unofficial results as of 2:30 p.m. Thursday.
Radford’s result in the presidential election mirrored Virginia’s, but with a narrower margin, as Vice President Kamala D. Harris prevailed with 48.85% of the votes (2,965). President-elect Donald J. Trump received 48.81% of the votes (2,962), a difference of three votes. Incumbent Senator Timothy M. Kaine (D) won in the State of Virginia and in the City of Radford, with 52.22% percent of the city’s vote (3,133) over Republican challenger Hung Cao, who received 2,854 votes, or 47.57%.
Incumbent ninth district Rep. H. Morgan Griffith (R) garnered Radford’s vote, receiving 52.09%, or 3,100 votes. Democratic challenger Karen G. H. Baker performed much better in Radford than in the district overall, receiving 47.72%, or 2,840 votes. Griffith won the race overall with more than 72 percent of the vote.
In the local elections for city council and school board, voters chose two seats on each governing body.
For Radford City Council, W. Guy Wohlford was the highest vote-getter, with 3,113 votes, or 36.68%. Incumbent council member Kellie Banks Artrip was also elected, garnering 2,915 votes, or 34.35%. Carl E. Mitchell earned 2,113 votes, or 24.90%. Write-in votes numbered 345, or 4.07 %.
The Radford City School Board race included the election of Brian K. Dobbins who received 25.18% of the vote with 2,334 votes. Amanda J. Winter was also elected with 2,048 votes, or 22.10%. Ben L. Buzzard came in a very close third with 21.80 % or 2,021votes. The remaining candidates included Kelsey R. Marletta, 18.27% with 1,693 votes, Rebecca Q. Dunn, 12.06% with 1,118 votes, and 55 write-in votes, representing .59%.
