Some Fairfax voters will soon be faced with yet another special election.
Del. David Bulova (D-11), who represents Oakton, Fairfax City and the Fair Oaks area, will step down from his seat in the General Assembly after accepting an appointment from governor-elect Abigail Spanberger to serve as Virginia’s secretary of natural and historic resources.
As secretary, Bulova will oversee the state’s environmental initiatives and advise the governor on natural and historic resources issues, including the preservation of public land, air and water quality, and activities related to historic sites.
“In this role, he will bring decades of experience to our efforts to strengthen our Commonwealth’s conservation, resilience, and preservation efforts,” Spanberger said when announcing her appointment. “I look forward to working with Delegate Bulova to protect Virginia’s beauty, promote responsible stewardship of its land, and preserve its history and environment for generations to come.”
First elected in 2005 to represent Fairfax City in what was then the House’s 37th District, Bulova has over three decades of professional experience in environmental planning in addition to his lengthy legislative career. He currently works as a project manager for the engineering and design consulting firm WSP USA.
In a Facebook post addressing his appointment, Bulova said his passion for protecting Virginia’s environment was shaped by his childhood in central Fairfax, when he spent his time “exploring the woods of the Rabbit Branch stream valley in Kings Park West and fishing at Royal Lake.”
The son of former Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova, he went on to graduate from Robinson Secondary School, where he met his wife, Gretchen, and earned degrees from the College of William & Mary and Virginia Tech before attending the Sorensen Institute of Political Leadership at the University of Virginia.
As a project manager for WSP, he specializes in stormwater management and the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay, according to his online bio.
Before become a state legislator, he was elected for a two-year term to the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District Board, which, as its name suggests, promotes soil and water conservation in Fairfax County and other nearby localities.
His General Assembly tenure has included stints serving on the Chesapeake Bay Commission as chair, Housing Commission, State Water Commission, and Early Childhood Care and Education Commission.
“Preserving and restoring Virginia’s environment is a life-long passion for me,” Bulova said in a statement. “Our Governor-elect shares that passion, as evidenced by her work on the House Agriculture Committee, and understands what it takes to safeguard our natural resources for future generations. She also understands that a healthy environment and a strong economy go hand-in-hand.”
According to Bulova, an official date for his resignation has not been determined yet. Once it is, the House Speaker — currently Del. Don Scott (D-88) — will schedule a special election to fill the vacated 11th District seat.
“Details will be forthcoming,” Bulova said.
The Virginia League of Conservation Voters, a lobbying and advocacy group focused on the preservation of natural resources, lauded Bulova’s appointment, noting his consistent support for “critical environmental legislation” during his nearly two decades in the General Assembly:
Who you surround yourself with as Governor says a lot about how you plan to govern. Governor-elect Spanberger’s selection of David Bulova as Virginia’s next Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources shows her commitment to advancing a pro-environmental agenda. For years, David Bulova has been a true champion at the legislature when it came to passing critical safeguards to protect clean air and water, advance an affordable clean energy future, and secure a clean and healthy environment. Bulova is an excellent selection for this post, and we look forward to working with him and this Administration to drive forward a new era of environmental progress in Virginia.
Spanberger will take office as Virginia’s next governor on Jan. 17. Bulova and other members of her administration will also assume their positions around that time.
Depending on the timing of a special election, that could leave the 11th District without a representative at the start of the General Assembly’s 2026 session, which will convene on Jan. 14.
