Elrod makes history at polls
Lexington has its first female mayor: Mimi Elrod.
With both precincts reporting, Elrod, a Washington and Lee staff member and veteran member of City Council, received 1,344 votes, or 60 percent. Her opponent, Mary Harvey, had 912 votes.
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| Mimi Elrod, left, and Mary Harvey take questions from Lexington residents at a candidate's forum sponsored by the National Organization for Women. (JESS RAMOS/Rockbridge Report) |
“There’s a lot of work in front of us. We’ve got a lot of issues to deal with,” said Elrod, who celebrated her victory with her friends after the result came out. “But I’m very excited, and very pleased. I’m just beyond thrilled.”
Elrod’s council seat will be filled after she takes office; the other council members will select her successor.
For Elrod, the race became more than what she anticipated when she announced her candidacy in January. Traditionally, local races are low-key and without yard signs and advertisements. Forums like the one sponsored by Lexington’s National Organization for Women last September are ordinarily enough for voters to hear the candidates’ views.
But this time, the race became more intense. Elrod did not originally plan to use yard signs. Recently, though, she modified old signs from her previous run, replacing “House of Delegates” with “for mayor.” She changed her mind about using signs after Harvey began canvassing and using yard signs of her own.
Because the mayoral race was nonpartisan, the Virginia Board of Elections Web site listed both candidates as independents.
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| Campaign signs for Mimi Elrod and Mary Harvey line the streets of Lexington. (JESS RAMOS/Rockbridge Report) |
Even so, Harvey signs tended to appear in yards with signs for Republican presidential candidate John McCain. Elrod signs were in many yards next to signs for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and senatorial candidate Mark Warner.
Harvey, a proud independent, said the race was not partisan from her point of view.
Harvey had an interview with Dutch National Television in October for a special report on local elections in America. She said the Dutch network chose to interview her because she had no ties to any political party.
With no opinion polls in Lexington, signs became one way to predict the outcome. According to Elrod, people view the signs and automatically assume that party lines are already drawn.
Elrod may be an active Democrat, but she claimed her political beliefs do not interfere with her duties on City Council. In fact, Elrod said she could not distinguish the political leanings of her fellow council members.
“You don’t act like a Democrat or a Republican [on City Council],” Elrod said. “You just need to get the job done and take a practical approach.”
For both candidates, the race was a memorable and learning experience.
“It’s been a real education for me,” said Harvey. Harvey said it had been a journey of self-discovery. Her most memorable moment came while reading a letter written by someone endorsing her. As she read the letter, for a second she could not believe the traits and accomplishments written matched the person holding the letter.
“Is that me? Is he talking about me?” asked Harvey. “It was a strange feeling to have someone encapsulate you.”
For Elrod, the race was an opportunity to meet with others who would not necessarily share her views. She recently visited the Barger quarry in Rockbridge County and met with the owner, Chuck Barger.
“It did make an impression on me,” she said. “It was the kind of thing that led me to see the importance of sitting down with people that you won’t necessarily have the same opinion as.”
Harvey said she planned to remain civically involved. She intended to remain on the City Planning Commission.
Mimi Elrod discusses Lot 1 controversy
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Jess Ramos reports on mayor's race
Produced by
Washington and Lee
journalism students.
Lead Supervisors:
Prof. Brian
Richardson
Prof. Indira Somani
Editing supervisor:
Prof. Pamela Luecke
Reporting Supervisors:
Prof. Doug Cumming
Prof. Indira Somani
Technical supervisor: Michael Todd