After over six months of door-knocking and campaigning for the 37th District House of Delegates seat, John Mason (R) and David Bulova (D) are ready to retire their shoes.
Bulova, who spent time greeting voters at Daniels Run Elementary School Tuesday, Nov. 8, showed off a pair of dress shoes he bought right after the primary in June. The shoes were in need of a shine and had a hole in the heel, but that was to be expected, he said, after walking to 11,000 houses.
Mason was used to the exercise. "I've been busy every day, exercising and knocking on doors," said Mason, who has knocked on 15,000 doors. "But I've done it before. It doesn't bother me."
The last few weeks of the race have been hectic for both of the leading candidates in the four-way race, which also includes Libertarian Scott McPherson and Independent Green Daniel Haugh.
"It's been nonstop," said Bulova. "But after planning for nine months, it's good to have it all finally come together."
For Bulova, much of the time he spent listening to voters' concerns on the campaign trail was preparation for a possible win.
"I'll be getting out there, taking the information gathered from knocking on 11,000 doors, and putting it into practice for the people of the 37th district," he said.
On Tuesday afternoon, both Bulova and Mason felt confident about their progress in the race and the success of the outcome.
"The race continues to be very competitive and very close," said Mason. "But I think we have an edge. Folks respect the notion of experience."
"I'm feeling good," said Bulova. "It’s in the hands of the voters now, but you don't take anything for granted."
Mason spent the day at Robinson Secondary School, greeting voters alongside Supervisor Sharon Bulova (D-Braddock), who handed out fliers in favor of her son. Up the road at Daniels Run Elementary School, Bulova made a stop in a district-wide poll tour to shake hands with voters. Mason's wife, Jeanette, was on the scene to represent Bulova's challenger.
"I'm [John's] better half," said Jeanette Mason, handing out a flier and laughing.
IN KEEPING with their friendly campaign pledge, Bulova, Mason, and members of their staffs stayed within the 40-foot boundary outside the doors of their respective polling places.
"In the past, we have had complaints of [candidates] being overzealous," said Jane McCurdy, chief election officer at the Robinson polls. "But we've heard nothing so far today."
The turnout was "pretty good," said McCurdy. By midday, she said, the turnout had reached almost 1,000 out of 3,400 voters in the precinct. These numbers were fairly standard for a general election, said McCurdy, but the steady stream of voters was unusual.
"We haven't had any crowds. The steadiness of voters is not typical," she said. "Usually, we have ebbs and tides."
At Daniels Run, 857 votes had been cast by 1:30 p.m., said chief election officer Dennis Egan.
"It's been pretty steady all day," he said.
Occasionally, the weather affects turnout, said Egan, and the cloudy, gray sky was less conducive to voting. "If it's a nice day, people are more inclined to come in," he said.
As for the candidates, their immediate plans after the election are the same: cooling their heels for a moment or two.
"I'll catch up with my family and my two kids," said Bulova, whose wife, Gretchen, and children Alex and Josette, have accompanied him along much of the campaign trail. "[Alex and Josette] were so excited to go through the election process. My wife, Gretchen has been a real partner."
"I'm going to take a break," said Mason. "Well, a short break."