RICHMOND, Va (WTVR) - The polls close at 7 p.m. Tuesday, but before then the three gubernatorial candidates will be busy. Each campaign has scheduled multiple stops throughout the state to thank volunteers and energize the final round of voters.
In most pre-election polls, Democrat Terry McAuliffe led Republican Ken Cuccinelli. Libertarian Robert Sarvis came in third, polling between seven and nine percent.
Tuesday morning, McAuliffe appeared at a campaign volunteer site in Chesterfield County. Lieutenant Governor candidate Ralph Northam and Attorney General candidate Mark Herring appeared with McAuliffe.
McAuliffe thanked volunteers in attendance for their support. He also highlighted several issues he said are important to Virginia voters.
"This election matters," he said. "It's about transportation [plan], which I supported the Governor's plan and my opponent was against it; it's about Medicaid expansion; it's about what I want to invest in education; and it's about job creation, diversifying the economy."
Cuccinelli is scheduled to appear in Hanover County Tuesday afternoon for one final campaign stop. Monday night, he appeared along side former Presidential candidate Ron Paul at the Greater Richmond Convention Center.
At the rally, Cuccinelli painted McAuliffe as a Virgina outsider and called McAuliffe fiscally irresponsible.
"I want not just your votes, but I need you to bring [out] other folks; I need you to bring other people who care about freedom and protecting liberty. And about reigning in big government, not expanding government, because that's at stake at this election," Cuccinelli said.
Political experts have said the surprise of the gubernatorial race has been Robert Sarvis. If the Libertarian gets at least 10 percent of the vote, he gains his party access to ballots in state and local elections through 2021, according to the State Board of Elections.
Sarvis will hold an election night celebration at the Tobacco Company Restaurant in Shockoe Slip.
