STUART, Va. — Virginia voters in Patrick and Carroll counties will help elect a new governor and make other choices today at their respective polls.

Voting locations are open in both counties from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

In Patrick County, citizens in the Dan River District — which includes the Ararat, Willis Gap and Claudville precincts — will select a new representative on the county board of supervisors in a race between Janet Epperson and Roger Hayden. Today’s winner will replace Supervisor Jonathan Large, who decided not to seek another term.

Quinn Brim, an Ararat resident, is unopposed for the Dan River District seat on the Patrick County School Board.

The only other Patrick supervisor post affected by the election is that of Crystal Harris in the Smith River District, who is being opposed by Eugene Phillips on a write-in basis. Bobby Mangrum has no opposition for the school board seat representing that district.

Citizens across Patrick also will decide today if a countywide meals tax will be implemented. If the referendum on the ballot is approved, a 4-percent tax on restaurant or prepared meals will be levied.

The extra charge would affect restaurants in Claudville, Ararat and other areas of the county, along with business such as convenience stores, grocery outlets or delicatessens that offer prepared meals.

There also was an attempt to have a referendum on sales of liquor by the drink in Patrick County on today’s ballot, but the measure failed to gain a required 10 percent of the registered voters in any district.

“I hope people will come out,” Patrick County Registrar Dianna Vipperman said Monday, adding that she is expecting a voter turnout of around 50 percent.

The Ararat polling location is the Ararat Ruritan Building at 4711 Ararat Highway, while voters in Willis Gap will cast ballots at Willis Gap Community Center at 144 The Hollow Road. The Claudville voting site is Claudville Community Building at 1828 Red Bank School Road.

State Races

Voters in both Patrick and Carroll counties will cast ballots today in the governor’s race between Republican Robert F. “Bob” McDonnell of Richmond and R. Creigh Deeds, a Democrat from Charlottesville.

Another ballot choice will involve candidates for lieutenant governor, William T. “Bill” Bolling of Richmond, a Republican, and Jody M. Wagner of Virginia Beach, a Democrat.

Republican Ken T. Cuccinelli II of Fairfax also is facing Democrat Stephen C. Shannon of Vienna for attorney general.

Local voters who are included in the 10th District of the Virginia House of Delegates also will choose between incumbent Ward Armstrong, a Democrat, and the GOP’s C. Edward Creed II, a Claudville resident. Creed moved to Patrick County earlier this year to seek Armstrong’s seat in the Virginia Legislature, but is doing so on a slim budget, according to reports from Virginia.

Carroll Ballot Slight

No county supervisor or school board races are on the 2009 ballot in Carroll County, but voters in the local Fancy Gap District will make choices for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general as well as the 10th District House of Delegates seat.

Precincts in the Fancy Gap District include Mount Bethel, where voters will cast ballots at the Cana Volunteer Fire Department substation on Mount Bethel Road; St. Paul, with voting to take place at St. Paul School; Lambsburg, headquartered at Lambsburg Community Center; and Oakland, where voting will occur at Oakland Elementary School.

Contact Tom Joyce at tjoyce@mtairynews.com or at 719-1924.