VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Primary Election Day is one week away in Virginia.
While slower than November elections, early in-person voting continues. So far, more than 850 people have voted early in-person in Virginia Beach.
"I vote early because it's convenient, avoid the lines," said Ed Kopec, who voted early on Tuesday.
All 140 of the General Assembly seats are on the ballot in November. Primary Election Day gives Republican and Democratic voters the chance to pick the candidates they want on the ballot this fall.
The districts are different this year due to redistricting and several of them favor one party over another, meaning the primaries are important.
"Whoever wins their primary in most of these is going to win in November," said Dr. Ben Melusky, a political science professor from Old Dominion University.
"As with most primaries in both Virginia as well as across the country, turnout tends to be pretty sleepy comparatively to say General Elections," said Melusky.
Big money continues to pour into the races across the Commonwealth.
The race in Hampton Roads getting the most attention is the Democratic Primary between Louise Lucas and Lionell Spruill in the 18th Senate District covering Portsmouth and Chesapeake.
In newly released campaign finance reports, the two both raised more than $450,000 between April and early June and both received $150,000 from Dominion Energy.
"You want to give to both, right? You don't want to ostracize the other because you don't know how the election is going to go and you've got the funds to spend, so why not give to both," said Melusky.
Election Day is June 20.
