Arlington Democrats Pick Candidate For Empty School Board Seat

ARLINGTON, VA — Mary Kadera received the most votes in the Arlington County Democratic Committee's first ever virtual caucus, which ended on Sunday night. She will be the Democratic Party's candidate running to fill the vacant Arlington School Board seat on the Nov. 2 ballot.

Kadera, the current vice president of the Arlington County Council of PTAs, said in a statement she was honored and humbled by the faith Arlington voters had placed in her to represent them on the school board.

“If elected to the School Board in November, I will work hard to rebuild relationships among APS leadership, the School Board, and the community as our schools fully reopen and we support our students’ academic, emotional, and social needs," she said. "I will work hard to earn the trust of communities of color as an ally in the fight for equity and justice. And over the next four years, I know we can work together to strengthen our schools so that every child is known, loved, academically challenged, and inspired, and our staff members are respected and supported as dedicated and highly skilled professionals,”

Since school board candidates run as independents, the Arlington Dems decided to hold a caucus to choose which candidate the party was going to endorse.

“The Arlington School Board plays a critical role in the stewardship of our schools and, by extension, in shaping our broader community,” said Alexandra Zins, Arlington Dems school board endorsement caucus director, in a release. “We congratulate Mary, and thank Miranda Turner for her willingness to step up to serve our community at this challenging time. We also thank outgoing School Board Member Monique O’Grady for her distinguished service.”

Due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, the Arlington Dems decided to hold its first ever virtual caucus from Monday, May 17 to Sunday, May 23. The party also set up multiple locations around the county with wireless access, so voters could cast their ballots.

The virtual caucus proved to be a success, according to the Arlington Dems, with a record-breaking 6,207 ballots cast. The previous record of 5,972 votes was set during the 2017 school board caucus, when Arlington County Board candidates were also on the ballot.

Here are the vote totals from the 2021 Democratic Party School Board Caucus:

• Mary Kadera: 3,836 (61.80 percent)
• Miranda Turner: 2,368 (38.15 percent)
• No Candidate: 3
• Total: 6,207

Next up for Democrats in Virginia is the June 8 primary. Early voting is already underway in Arlington.

Related:

Candidate Profile: Mary Kadera For Arlington School Board

Candidate Profile: Miranda Turner For Arlington School Board

Early Voting For Democratic Primary Starts In Arlington