Early voting has officially started in Fairfax County for Congressional primary elections that will likely be relatively low on drama after a chaotic spring saw voters narrowly approve new districts that were subsequently nullified by the Virginia Supreme Court.
The county is opening three in-person early voting sites today (Thursday), starting with the Fairfax County Government Center at 8 a.m. and followed at 1 p.m. by the Mount Vernon and North County governmental centers.
Another 13 in-person locations will be added on July 25. Voters interested in obtaining a mail ballot can apply via the Virginia Department of Elections through July 24, which is also the last day to register to vote in the Aug. 4 primaries.
‘Twas the day before early voting for the Aug. 4 primary…
…and all through the county, staff were prepping for 3 early voting locations to open June 18.Location info: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/elections/early-voting
Ballot info: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/elections/sample-ballots
— Fairfax County Office of Elections (@elections.fairfaxcounty.gov) June 17, 2026 at 1:39 PM
What’s on the ballot
A potentially crowded field of candidates has thinned out after the Supreme Court’s May 8 ruling voided the results of an April 21 referendum that would’ve let the Virginia General Assembly implement new Congressional maps drawn to favor Democrats in 10 of 11 districts.
With the existing districts remaining in place, ousted Space Force colonel Bree Fram ended a bid to unseat Rep. James Walkinshaw, leaving him as the Democratic nominee for the 11th Congressional District that covers most of Fairfax County and all of Fairfax City.
The 10th Congressional District, which includes the Clifton area, similarly will go without a Democratic primary this year after no candidates emerged to challenge incumbent Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, and Sen. Mark Warner keeps his primary-free streak going, with three potential challengers all withdrawing.
As a result, the only Democratic race to consider on Aug. 4 is for Virginia’s 8th Congressional District, which encompasses Arlington County, Alexandria City, and eastern Fairfax County from McLean down to Mason Neck. Campaigning for a seventh term, incumbent Rep. Don Beyer will need to fend off four challengers:
- Mo Seifeldein, a former Alexandria City Council member
- Michael Christian Duffin, a former U.S. State Department employee who was among thousands laid off last year by the Trump administration
- Adam Dunigan, a Marine veteran and former CIA officer who launched his campaign after the voiding of the redistricting referendum cut short a bid for a newly proposed 7th district
- Lorena Thorne Bruner, a former vice president of Virginia’s chapter of the American Association of University Women whose previous political experience includes two campaigns for Stafford County’s commissioner of revenue
The primary’s winner will face Tony Sabio in the Nov. 3 general election after the former CIA agent and Purcellville interim town manager secured the Republican nomination for the 8th district.
Republican voters in Fairfax County will juggle primaries for the Senate and the 10th Congressional District.
U.S. Senate
- Bert Mizusawa, a retired U.S. Army major general
- Kim Farington, founder and CEO of the Tysons-based cybersecurity consulting firm KTech
- David E. Williams, a Marine veteran and former CIA case officer
10th Congressional District
- Dave T. Beckwith, an Air Force veteran who served as a deputy assistant secretary of defense from January 2025 to March 2026
- Anthony L. Suttles, who says he has experience in national security and economics
- Julie Anna Perry, a history and social studies teacher at Centreville High School who has previously campaigned for the House of Delegates and state Senate
Arthur Purves, president of the Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance, has secured the GOP nomination for the 11th district, where he will seek to upset Walkinshaw’s reelection bid in November.
When and how to vote
In-person early voting will continue through Aug. 1, though hours vary depending on the location and day, according to the Fairfax County Office of Elections.
Fairfax County Government Center (12000 Government Center Parkway)
- Monday-Friday: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday, July 25 and Aug. 1: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Sunday, July 19 and 26: noon to 5 p.m.
The county notes that on-site parking might be limited due to ongoing construction on the Fairfax Crest apartment building, which will deliver 279 homes and a community facility with day care.
Mount Vernon and North County Governmental Centers (2511 Parkers Lane, Alexandria and 1801 Cameron Glen Drive, Reston)
- Monday-Friday: 1-7 p.m.
- Saturday, July 25 and Aug. 1: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Sunday, July 19 and 26: noon to 5 p.m.
All three sites will be closed this Friday (June 19) and Friday, July 3 due to the Juneteenth and Fourth of July holidays.
The additional early voting sites set to open on July 25 will follow the same hours as the Mount Vernon and North County locations once they start operating.
All locations feature drop boxes for returning absentee ballots. Mailed ballots will be accepted by the elections office until noon on Friday, Aug. 7 as long as they’re postmarked on or before the day of the primaries.
