What to expect as early voting for the 2026 election kicks off Friday in Fairfax

As Democrats attempt to flip control of Congress from the current Republican majority, all eyes will be on national races, but the Nov. 3 election will also give Fairfax County voters a number of questions with local and state implications to consider.

Early in-person voting will kick off countywide tomorrow (Sept. 18) for seats in the House and Senate as well as local issues regarding funding for parks and health and human services projects. In addition, voters will be asked to vote on three constitutional amendments addressing abortion, gay marriage, and voting rights.

Where and when to vote

All voters can cast ballots at the Fairfax County Government Center, Mount Vernon Governmental Center and North County Governmental Center starting tomorrow during the following hours:

Fairfax County Government Center
- 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
- 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, Oct. 24 and Oct. 31
- Noon-5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 18 and 25
Mount Vernon and North County governmental centers
- 1-7 p.m. Monday through Friday
- 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, Oct. 24 and Oct. 31
- Noon-5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 18 and Oct. 25

Thirteen additional locations, which include some county libraries, government centers, and community centers, will open from Oct. 22 to Oct. 31.

Voters who would like a mail-in ballots must request one by Oct. 23. Additional information about the rules surrounding mail-in ballots and early voting can be found on the Fairfax County Office of Elections website.

What’s on the ballot

Candidates for Congress

Longtime Democratic Sen. Mark Warner is running against Republican Bert Mizusawa, a retired Major General in the U.S. Army. After nearly two decades representing Virginia in the Senate, 71-year-old Warner has said this will be his final run for reelection.

Residents will also vote for members of the House of Representatives, though the candidates will vary based on where the voter resides.

In the 8th district, which includes portions of eastern Fairfax County such as Mount Vernon and Fort Belvoir, Rep. Don Beyer is vying for his seventh term in office. Republican Tony Sabio, a national security professional who says he’s worked in the CIA, Secret Service and military, is challenging the incumbent in a district long considered a Democratic stronghold.

In the 10th district, which includes Clifton, Republican Dave Beckwith, a retired government contractor with a background in the military, is challenging Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, who is seeking his second term in office. Subramanyam previously served as a state senator and delegate. Independent Ahsen Mujeeb Malik will also appear on the ballot.

In the 11th district, the only one fully in Fairfax County, Rep. James Walkinshaw, the former Braddock District supervisor, is running for his second term in Congress against Republican Arthur Purves, a retired computer programmer and longtime president of the Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance. Dianne L. Blais will also appear on the ballot as a Green Party candidate.

Town of Herndon candidates

While Mayor Kevin LeBlanc is running uncontested, residents of the Town of Herndon will have the opportunity to vote for no more than six candidates for town council. The following are running for office:

Referendums for Fairfax County

Fairfax County leaders are seeking voters’ support for a $180 million parks bond and a $75 million human services bond.

The park bond would raise $89 million to support improvements to recreation centers, including the Audrey Moore Rec Center. Another $51 million would go to deferred capital renovations; the rest is for land acquisition or miscellaneous improvements.

The human services bond includes $40 million for comprehensive renovations at the Tim Harmon Campus in Chantilly, which provides residential substance use and behavioral health services. It also includes $35 million for renovations to the Joanne Jorgenson Public Health Laboratory, which provides services for clients including local health departments, courts, jails, and community services boards.

Statewide constitutional amendments

Earlier this year, the General Assembly passed three proposed amendments to the state constitution. Now, voters must decide whether to approve them. Here are the three questions as they will appear on the ballot.

Constitutional amendment #1

Question: Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to (i) protect the freedom to make personal decisions about prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion, miscarriage management, and fertility care; (ii) protect doctors, nurses, and patients from being punished for these decisions; and (iii) allow for restrictions on access to abortion during the third trimester of pregnancy except when the patient’s health is at risk or the pregnancy cannot survive?

Constitutional amendment #2

Question: Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to (i) remove the ban on same-sex marriage; (ii) affirm that two adults may marry regardless of sex, gender, or race; and (iii) require all legally valid marriages to be treated equally under the law?

Constitutional amendment #3

Question: Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended (i) to provide for the fundamental right to vote in the Commonwealth, (ii) to revise the qualifications of voters so that a person convicted of a felony is not entitled to vote during his period of incarceration but is automatically invested with the right to vote upon release from incarceration, and (iii) to update the existing prohibition on voting by persons found to be mentally incompetent to instead apply to persons who have been found to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting?

City of Fairfax

Since the Fairfax City is a separate jurisdiction from Fairfax County, its ballot will look a little different than the county’s. In addition to the candidates for Senate and the 11th congressional district, and state-level referendums, Fairfax City is holding local elections this year for mayor, city council and school board, and a referendum on a sales tax increase.

The mayor and council are elected on a non-partisan, at-large basis.

Candidates for Mayor

Kirsten Sides Lockhart

Thomas D. “Tom” Peterson

Candidates for City Council

Stacy R. Hall
Rachel M McQuillen
Anthony T. Amos
Sandi W. Slappey Brown
Kelly M. O’Brien
Russell A. Jones
Stephen S. Kim
Susan Hartley Kuiler
María José Padmore
Steve S Chang
Jessica L. Lough

Candidates for school board

Carolyn S. Pitches
Amit Sarah Hickman
Kristina M. Cecere
Sarah M. Kelsey
Lauren A. Bartelme

Sales tax referendum

Fairfax City voters will be asked if they approve a general retail sales tax increase of up to 1% that could generate up to $13.5 million to fund construction projects and long-term maintenance of the city’s schools. While the language of the referendum allows the resulting revenue to support public transportation, the current council has indicated that it intends to prioritize public schools.

City of Fairfax Public Schools, which passed a resolution supporting the tax this summer, will host two informational meetings on the referendum in October.