Democrats Bank on High Early Vote to Win Virginia Governor Race

But GOP’s Youngkin also urges supporters to cast ballots early
Once leading in the race, McAuliffe’s now tied with Youngkin

Joe Biden, left, greets Terry McAuliffe during a campaign event in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., on Oct. 26.Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg

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By Ryan Teague Beckwith

October 27, 2021 at 6:00 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Both Democrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin are imploring Virginians to cast ballots early in their hotly contested gubernatorial contest, which has drawn national attention.

Signs point to Democrats holding a lead in early votes cast. McAuliffe is a former Virginia governor and former chair of the Democratic National Committee. Youngkin, a former co-chief executive officer of the Carlyle Group Inc., is also encouraging supporters to vote early, even though Republicans are more apt to wait until Election Day to vote.