What to watch for in Virginia on election night | Washington Examiner
Youngkin performing better than expected with those who voted by mail, whose ballots will likely be counted and published first, could signal that the Republican candidate is on his way to a victory.
Youngkin does not need to win populous northern Virginia counties in order to pull off an upset overall he just needs to perform well enough to erode McAuliffe s advantage in the region.
The Republican candidate can lose two-thirds of the votes from Loudoun County, according to the Cook Political Report, and still become the next governor.
Results from places like Loudoun County, which has become the centerpiece of Youngkin s campaign against perceived overreaches from public schools, will signal whether Youngkin is defying trends that have seen the area shift increasingly blue in recent cycles.
Higher turnout in the rural southern part of the state could also signal Youngkin is in for a good night, as he is expected to run up the score in that part of the state.