Fairfax County Election 2019: Voters Choose Board Of Supervisors

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Voters are heading to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 5 to decide races for Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and School Board. Candidates for state legislative, local prosecutor and sheriff races and a school bond question are on the ballot. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. Voters in line by 7 p.m. will be able to vote.

On Election Day, the county's Office of Elections received one claim of a compromised ballot. According to spokesperson Brian Worthy, a voter claimed to have received a pre-marked ballot at a Reston polling place. The claim, first posted on Nextdoor, alleged the oval had been filled in for Republican candidate Arthur Purves in the 32nd Senate District race.

The voter was given a new ballot, and the ballot in question will be examined by the Office of Elections. There have been no other reports of alleged issues with ballots in Fairfax County.

The next Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will look different after Tuesday's election. The nine-member board is elected to four-year terms, and there is no limit to the number of terms a member can seek. Chairman Sharon Bulova is not seeking reelection, as well as Braddock District Supervisor John Cook, Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins and Providence District Supervisor Linda Smyth. Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay, a Democrat, is running for at-large chairman versus Republican Joe Galdo.

Other Board of Supervisor races have multiple candidates. Democratic incumbents facing challengers include Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust versus Republican Ed Martin; Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross versus Republican Gary Aiken; and Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith versus Republican Srilekha Palle. In the Springfield District, Republican supervisor Pat Herrity faces Democratic challenger Linda Sperling.

Newcomers will be selected in several districts. In the Braddock District, candidates are Democrat James Walkinshaw, Republican Jason Remer and Independent Carey Chet Campbell. In the Providence District, candidates are Democrat Dalia Palchik and Republican Eric Anthony Jones.

Democrat Rodney Lusk is unopposed for Lee District supervisor, as well as current Democratic Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Storck.

Steve Descano is the Democratic candidate for Commonwealth's Attorney after ousting incumbent Ray Morrogh in the primary. Morrogh has endorsed independent candidate Jonathan Fahey. Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid, a Democrat, is up for reelection against Independent Christopher DeCarlo.

See sample ballots provided by the Fairfax County. Check your voter registration status and find your polling place at vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation.

Control of the Virginia General Assembly will be decided by Tuesday's election. All 100 Virginia House and 40 Senate seats are up for grabs, and Fairfax County has a few competitive races. Del. Tim Hugo, the only Republican representing Fairfax County in the House, faces Democratic challenger Dan Helmer in the 40th District, one of the state's closely watched races. Analysis from the Washington Post suggests gun control and national politics issues could play a role in voters' choices. Hugo has downplayed party ties and touted work on local issues.

In the 42nd House District, first-term Democrat Kathy Tran faces Republican challenger Steve Adragna. Tran faced backlash earlier in 2019 for her unsuccessful bill regarding late-term abortions. Her comment suggesting the bill would allow infanticide drew controversy, but she later said she misspoke.

The 12-member Fairfax County School Board has elections for nine district members and three at-large members. Members serve four-year terms and select a chair and vice chair. All candidates are listed as independents.

At-large candidates include incumbent Karen A. Keys-Gamarra; Abrar Omeish; Cheryl Buford; Priscilla DeStefano; Rachna Sizemore Heizer; and Vinson Xavier Palathingal. Current board Chair Karen Corbett Sanders is running in the Mount Vernon District against challengers Pamela Ononiwu and Steven Mosley. In the Braddock District, incumbent Megan McLaughlin faces challenger Zia Tompkins. In the Springfield District, incumbent Elizabeth Schultz faces Laura Jane Cohen and Kyle McDaniel. Sully District board member Tom Wilson is runing against challenger Stella Pekarsky.

Other races involve only newcomers. With Providence District Dalia Palchik running for supervisor, Andrea Bayer and Karl Frisch are running for the open seat. Anastasia Karloutsos, Ardavan Mobasheri and Elaine Tholen are vying for the Dranesville District seat. Laura Ramirez Drain and Melanie Meren are running for the open Hunter Mll District seat and while Ricardy Anderson faces Tom Pafford in the Mason District.

Fairfax County voters will also decide on a $310 million school bond referendum that would pay for school improvement projects. The projects selected for the referendum include two new elementary schools, renovations to three high schools, renovations to two middle schools, renovations to 10 elementary schools and relocation of one modular building.

The full text of the ballot question is:

Shall Fairfax County, Virginia, contract a debt, borrow money, and issue capital improvement bonds in the maximum aggregate principal amount of $360,000,000 for the purposes of providing funds, in addition to funds from school bonds previously authorized, to finance, including reimbursement to the County for temporary financing for, the costs of school improvements, including acquiring, building, expanding and renovating properties, including new sites, new buildings or additions, renovations and improvements to existing buildings, and furnishings and equipment, for the Fairfax County public school system?

An acceptable form of photo identification is required to cast a ballot in Virginia.

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