Election Day is still a day away, but Fairfax County voters have already been surging to the polls as part of a statewide and nationwide upswing in early voting.
More than 227,000 county voters have already cast their ballots for the Nov. 3 election through early voting, which concluded at 5 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 31), according to data from the Virginia Department of Elections collected by the nonprofit Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP).
That’s a nearly 62% increase from the 140,225 people who voted early in the last midterm election in 2022, though turnout is still lower than for the 2024 presidential election.
The vast majority of this year’s early votes (nearly 172,000) were cast in person as opposed to by mail, which accounted for more than 55,000 votes.
While ballots won’t be counted until tomorrow (Tuesday), a data analysis by the VPAP suggests that Democratic voters, particularly in the three congressional districts that include parts of Fairfax County, are helping drive that trend.
A similar dynamic is playing out across Virginia, with more than 1.6 million total voters already casting their ballots in person or by mail.
Where to vote
While the county had a number of locations open for early voting, voters who waited to go in person on Election Day will need to make sure they visit their designated polling place. Those who aren’t sure where to go can enter their information on the Virginia Department of Elections website.
Voters should present a form of identification when they check in, but those who don’t have one can fill out a confirmation statement or vote via a provisional ballot and then provide an ID to the Office of Elections before the ballot-counting deadline of noon on Friday (Nov. 6). First-time voters are required to present an ID.
Absentee ballots can be delivered to drop boxes at all voting precincts while polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
What’s on the ballot
Congress
Statewide, Republican Bert Mizusawa is challenging Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, who is running for his fourth and final term.
Three congressional seats are in contention. In the 11th District, the only one fully in Fairfax County, Rep. James Walkinshaw, a former Braddock District supervisor, is seeking his first full term against Republican Arthur Purves, a retired computer programmer and president of the Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance. Green Party candidate Dianne L. Blais will also appear on the ballot.
In the 8th District, which includes portions of eastern Fairfax County such as Mount Vernon and Fort Belvoir, longtime Democratic Rep. Don Beyer is running for reelection against Republican Tony Sabio.
In the 10th District, which includes Clifton, Rep. Suhas Subramanyam is seeking his second term in office against Republican Dave Beckwith, a retired government contractor with a background in the military. Independent Ahsen Mujeeb Malik will also appear on the ballot.
State and local referenda
There are also three possible amendments to Virginia’s constitution that may influence voter turnout. Voters will be asked to vote “yes” or “no” on issues relating to abortion access, gay marriage, and restoration of voting rights for people convicted of felonies after their sentence is complete.
There are also local referendums requesting voter approval of bond funding for Fairfax County Park Authority and human services projects.
The $180 million park bond would include $89 million to renovate recreation centers, including a new Audrey Moore Rec Center and concept plans for the Franconia and Providence rec centers; $51 million for deferred capital renovations; $19 million to build or fully renovate a park; $12 million for land acquisition; and $9 million to build new park amenities, such as trails, playgrounds or splash pads.
The $75 million human services bond would raise $40 million to renovate the Tim Harmon Campus in Chantilly, which provides residential substance use and behavioral health services, and $35 million to renovate the Joanne Jorgenson Public Health Laboratory, which serves local health departments, courts, jails, and community services boards.
City of Fairfax
Outside of the county, residents of Fairfax City will vote in elections this year for mayor, city council and school board, and a referendum on a sales tax increase to fund school construction or public transportation.
With incumbent Catherine Read not seeking reelection, candidates for mayor include current council member Thomas D. “Tom” Peterson and Kirsten Sides Lockhart, vice chair of the city planning commission.
Candidates for City Council include:
- 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 include:
- Carolyn S. Pitches
- Amit Sarah Hickman
- Kristina M. Cecere
- Sarah M. Kelsey
- Lauren A. Bartelme
Fairfax City is among the first localities statewide to ask voters to 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. The revenue raised could be used for both public transit and public education, though the current city council has indicated it wants to prioritize school funding.
Town of Herndon
Voters in the Town of Herndon can also expect to select six candidates for town council out of 12 possible contenders:
- Josif N. Ezekilov
- Cesar A. Del Aguila
- Douglas Isaac “Doug” Mejia
- Sabrina A. Bruce
- Kelvin Garcia
- Yasmin “Soniya” Shafiq
- Meron T. Yohannes
- Clark A. Hedrick
- Michael T. Lloyd
- Justin K. Britt
- Alexis “Alex” Reyes
- Stevan Michael Porter
Mayor Keven LeBlanc is running unopposed for reelection.
