
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, June 6, 1994                    TAG: 9406060062 
SECTION: LOCAL                     PAGE: D4    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY JEFF HOOTEN, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: 940606                                 LENGTH: Medium

IN 2ND DISTRICT PRIMARY ON JUNE 14, VOTERS MUST PICK PARTY AND CONTEST

{LEAD} Voters in the 2nd District will have to show their true colors come June 14.

The district, which consists of the majority of Virginia Beach and a large portion of Norfolk, is the only district in Virginia to hold a Republican primary this year.

{REST} But the primary will take place on the same day as the Democratic senatorial primary. And since residents are only allowed to vote in one primary, voters in the district must decide which race is more important to them.

Unlike many other states, Virginia doesn't require voters to register by party. In the past, this has allowed loyalist voters to ``crossover'' and vote in the opposing party's primary.

The two parties seldom have held primaries at the same time. For instance, Democrats held conventions throughout the 1980s, while Republicans moved to a primary in 1989. In 1993, both held conventions.

``In Virginia, it's unusual to have a same-day primary,'' said James R. Sweeney, an associate professor of history at Old Dominion University who specializes in Virginia politics.

``A primary without party registration encourages shenanigans from either side.''

Sweeney said that, outside the 2nd District, some Republicans might crossover and vote for Virgil F. Goode Jr. in the Democratic primary, especially if they don't like Oliver L. North, the Republican senatorial candidate.

Even so, few politicos believe the crossover vote will alter the outcome in either primary.

Republican voter turnout in the 2nd District probably will be low, Sweeney added, because the Democratic primary has received most of the publicity.

There is one benefit to having two primaries on the same day, at least according to Jeffrey Breit, 2nd District Democratic Party chairman.

``It will be the first time in quite a while that we'll be able to find out who the Republicans are and who are the Democrats in the 2nd District,'' Breit said.

{KEYWORDS} SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT PRIMARY

by CNB