Reminder: Last Day to Ride Self-Driving Shuttle — “Relay, the autonomous electric shuttle, is scheduled to take its final spin around Merrifield’s Mosaic District on Friday. The pilot project designed to test the effectiveness of driverless public transportation will be coming to an end.” [Patch]
McLean’s Spring Hill Road to Close — Spring Hill Road between Georgetown Pike and Old Dominion Drive will be closed from Monday, June 26 through Thursday, June 29 between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. each day “for a pipe replacement…Through traffic will be detoured via Old Dominion Drive, Towlston Road (Route 676) and Georgetown Pike” [VDOT]
GMU Professor Loses “Anti-Male Bias” Lawsuit — An appeals court rejected George Mason University psychology professor Todd Kashdan’s argument that the university discriminated against him when it punished him for sexual harassment. Kashdan was barred from teaching graduate students for two years, among other measures, after four female students reported him for “repeated inappropriate comments and behavior.” [The Washington Post]
Teens Charged with Springfield Smoke Shop Burglary — “Four teenagers from Lorton have been arrested for a brazen smoke shop burglary in Fairfax County last month. The teens were caught on camera ramming a stolen car into the Smoke Bazaar store on May 21…Detectives determined two of the teen suspects were also connected to two additional commercial burglaries a week before at different Springfield smoke shops.” [WUSA9]
No Takers for Vacant Falls Church Motel — “The Stratford Motor Lodge has been an eyesore for neighbors and passerbyers since it closed and was boarded up in 2021…Development proposals have come and gone — including a senior living center and a Wawa convenience store — but high construction costs and interest rates have presented challenges to soliciting proposals.” [Falls Church News-Press]
Fairfax City Police Introduce Hybrid Vehicles — “The City of Fairfax Police Department recently rolled out its first four hybrid vehicles…The new Hybrid Ford Police Interceptor Explorers are a step toward modernizing the city’s fleet of public safety vehicles to meet the current and future needs of residents, the city, and the environment while maintaining the highest performance and safety standards.” [City of Fairfax]
Lorton Woman Added to World Cup Team — “Two soccer players from Northern Virginia have made the U.S. Women’s National Team for this summer’s Women’s World Cup. Defender Emily Fox from Ashburn and midfielder Andi Sullivan from Lorton were named to the 23-woman roster announced earlier this week.” [Inside NoVA]
Herndon Roofing Company Pursues Expansion — “Beacon, a Herndon roofing and building materials company that has been aggressively expanding throughout the U.S., has opened three new distribution centers in New England, northeast Ohio and southwest Virginia…The company has now opened 10 new distribution centers…since January and intends to add five more by the end of the year.” [Washington Business Journal]
It’s Friday — Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 81. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. At night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 8pm and 2am. Low around 69. [Weather.gov]
A Northern Virginia gym aimed at women hopes to flex its way into the Town of Vienna this summer.
StarFit Studio is expanding from its existing Arlington and Alexandria locations to the Cedar Park Shopping Center. The business has leased a 1,740-square-foot space at 266 Cedar Lane, according to property manager First Washington Realty’s website.
Construction is currently underway in anticipation of an August opening, according to StarFit co-founder and CEO Allie Baier.
“We are so excited about opening a location for Vienna women!” Baier said by email. “We think the small community atmosphere of StarFit works perfectly for the Vienna community. It’s a great place to meet new people, or come with friends!”
StarFit started in 2011 with its first studio at 6440 Landsdowne Centre in Alexandria. It added a second location at the Lee Harrison Shopping Center in Arlington around 2017, according to its Yelp pages, where it has almost all five-star ratings.
The business was inspired by a desire to create a place for weight-lifting and strength training where women could “feel safe and confident,” Baier told Northern Virginia Magazine in 2020.
By focusing exclusively on women, the gym can offer tailored workouts designed for its specific demographic, rather than “cookie-cutter classes built for the masses,” she said.
According to Baier, StarFit specializes in small-group and personal training, with an eight-person limit for each group class.
In addition to weights, the gym provides resistance bands, sandbags, stability balls, cable machines, rowers, and other strength and conditioning equipment.
“We focus on fundamental, functional movements and exercises that have worked for hundreds of years in fitness,” Baier said, quoting from the company’s website. “We stay away from gimmicks, fads or a one-size-fits-all cookie cutter class formats, which inevitably leads to boredom and plateaus.”
Sign-ups have opened to get on a pre-sale list for the Vienna studio.
Some good news is on the horizon for local Metrorail riders: the West and East Falls Church stations are set to reopen on Monday (June 26) after a 23-day closure.
The bad news? The Vienna and Dunn Loring stations will remain closed through July 16.
Orange and Silver line service at the four stations ceased on June 3 so Metro crews could replace a 40-year-old steel rail. The transit agency is also using the closures to install fiber optic cables and clear vegetation along or near the train tracks.
After laying down nearly 1,800 tons of rail and removing “more than 42,000 linear feet of trees, bushes, grasses, and invasive vines,” the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority says it will advance to the project’s second phase next week.
“Our team has made great progress on this work so far. As of last week, our team has replaced 15.5 miles of track, installed nearly 36 miles of fiber-optic cable, replaced two diamond interlockings, and installed 13 new switch machines,” Metro Chief of Infrastructure Andy Off said. “They are working to keep the system safe and reliable, and we thank our customers and visitors to the area for their understanding and patience.”
The extended shutdown has been a source of frustration for many commuters in Northern Virginia, despite Metro’s efforts to minimize disruptions by providing free shuttles.
After getting reports of long lines and wait times for the shuttles, particularly at the Vienna and Ballston stations, WMATA said on June 7 that it would add more buses, coordinate with police to ensure free movement through traffic and reevaluate routes through the more congested areas of Rosslyn.
However, the transit agency noted that wait times could still reach 20 minutes during peak rush hours “based on the volume of customers at these stations.”
Some waiting should still be expected at the Vienna, Dunn Loring and West Falls Church stations going forward, Metro says, advising riders “to allow extra time for their travel,” especially during rush hour.
From June 26 through July 16, free shuttles will be provided with stops at those three stations, arriving every 10 to 20 minutes. There will also be an Orange Line Express with service between Vienna and West Falls Church every eight to 15 minutes on weekdays.
Standard buses from Metro and other transit services, including Fairfax Connector, will be available as well:
Bus Options
Vienna
- Metrobus 1A to Ballston-MU
- Metrobus 2B to Dunn Loring
- Fairfax Connector 698 – Service between Vienna and Pentagon (rush-hour only)
Dunn Loring
- Metrobus 1B to Ballston-MU
- Metrobus 2A to East Falls Church & Ballston-MU
- Metrobus 2B to Vienna
- Fairfax Connector 401/402 to Tysons
Other Options
Fairfax Connector (Weekday rush-hour service only; eastbound in a.m., westbound in p.m.)
- 697 Service between Stringfellow Road Park & Ride and L’Enfant Plaza
- 699 Service between Fairfax County Government Center, Fairfax Corner, US Department of State, and Foggy Bottom
OmniRide
- 601 Service between Manassas, Farragut Square, and McPherson Square
- 602 Service between Manassas and Pentagon
- 611 Service between Gainesville, Farragut Square, and McPherson Square
- 612 Service between Gainesville, Pentagon, Smithsonian, and Navy Yard
- 60 Service between Manassas and Tysons
- 61 Service between Gainesville and Tysons
FCPD Adopts Bean-Bag Shotguns — “Police in Fairfax County, Virginia, are repurposing a long-carried weapon in patrol cars — the shotgun. But now, those weapons are being converted to only contain ‘less-lethal’ bean bag rounds…Since March, the department has removed all 800 of its shotguns and replaced the weapons with 630 less-lethal beanbag shotguns.” [WTOP]
Workshop on Parking Overhaul Tonight — The Fairfax County Planning Commission will hold a workshop at 7:30 p.m. to discuss the “Parking Reimagined” initiative, the county’s first major overhaul of its parking regulations since 1988. Proposed changes include bicycle parking requirements and a tiered system for off-street parking. There will also be a public open house on June 29. [Zoning Administration Division]
What Primary Results Mean for General Assembly — “The ideological middle ground is fast disappearing, meaning [Gov. Glenn] Youngkin will probably face feast or famine in the next legislative session…The Democratic shift was most apparent in Northern Virginia, where at least two veteran incumbent senators lost to younger challengers from the left.” [The Washington Post]
First Task Force Meeting Set on Lake Accotink — “The Task Force on the Future of Lake Accotink, established at the June 6 Board of Supervisors meeting, will hold their first meeting on Monday, June 26, at 7 p.m. at the Government Center. The task force will produce findings that will inform the Board of Supervisors’ decision regarding the future of Lake Accotink.” [Fairfax County Government]
Dulles Airport to Update 1960s-era People Movers — “Dulles architect Eero Saarinen saw mobile lounges as a convenient way to shorten walks from ticket counters to far-off planes. A Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority committee approved $16 million to completely rehabilitate two of the 60-plus-year-old vehicles.” That will take about three years and could lead to updates of the remaining people movers, which would cost $160 million total. [DCist]
Restaurant Sought for Vacant Lincolina Site — “The new owner of 6499 Little River Turnpike in Lincolnia is renovating the property and hopes to lease it to a restaurant…[Jay] Jasany is adding a new section in the back of the building and would like to have rooftop dining. The contractor hopes to complete construction in four or five months.” [Annandale Today]
Reston Company Helps Businesses Reduce Emissions — “Reston energy technology company GridPoint Inc. works with commercial businesses to help them reduce carbon emissions and save money doing so. A $150 million credit facility it just secured from Annapolis-based climate investment firm HASI…will help it continue doing just that.” [Washington Business Journal]
It’s Thursday — Showers likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. High near 73 between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., with a low temperature in the evening around 66. Chance of precipitation is 80%. [Weather.gov]
Fairfax County’s General Assembly delegation will look drastically different next year after a pivotal Democratic primary yesterday (Tuesday) that also bolstered incumbents in most county-level races.
In two upsets, Sully District school board representative Stella Pekarsky eked out a win over veteran state Sen. George Barker for the 36th District nomination, while Fairfax Young Democrats vice president Saddam Azlan Salim ousted Sen. Chap Petersen in the 37th District.
Currently in her first term on the Fairfax County School Board after getting elected in 2019, Pekarsky received 52.2% of the vote — just 662 more votes than Barker, according to unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections.
First elected in 2007, Barker was pursuing a fifth term in the state Senate. Encompassing Chantilly, Centreville and Clifton, the 36th District was created by the Virginia Supreme Court during the 2021 redistricting process and includes just a portion of Barker’s former 39th District.
In a statement, Pekarsky thanked Barker “for a hard fought campaign on the issues.”
“Our constituents benefited from the conversation and I look forward to uniting behind our shared vision of standing up for Democratic values,” she said. “I am running to stand up for public education, protect abortion access, keep our community safe from gun violence, and build a brighter future for the next generation. I look forward to sharing that message with every voter in the district leading up to November’s election.”
Pekarsky will face Republican nominee Julie Perry, a history teacher, in the general election on Nov. 7.
In the 37th District, which covers Tysons, Fairfax City, Vienna, Oakton, Falls Church and Merrifield, Salim beat Petersen by 999 votes, or 53.8%. He campaigned as a progressive alternative to the more conservative Petersen, challenging the incumbent on issues like gun violence prevention and reproductive rights.
“This was an incredible grassroots movement of constituents all across the district and we achieved this victory together,” Salim said in a statement. “I look forward to being your Democratic nominee and continuing our fight for the issues that we care about: gun violence prevention, affordable housing, reproductive rights and so much more.”
If he wins in November, when he will face Republican nominee Ken Reid, Salim will become the first Bangladeshi-American elected to Virginia’s state Senate, according to his campaign.
First elected to the House of Delegates in 2001 before moving to the Senate in 2008, Petersen presented himself as a business-friendly, “common sense” candidate. In a statement to supporters, he admitted “the results last night were not what we expected but that happens in a democracy,” congratulating Salim on earning the nomination.
“My term in office and my season in politics is coming to a close,” Petersen said. “I want to thank everyone who helped me in any way along this long and winding journey, especially over the last six months. We ran a positive campaign for re-election based on my past record as a Senator. It didn’t work this time and I bear all responsibility.”
Notably, Petersen and Barker both significantly outraised their challengers, reporting over $1 million each in campaign contributions, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. In comparison, Salim raised just $188,653, and Pekarsky got a total of $639,435.
The Democratic nominees in the other General Assembly races on the primary ballot are:
- Senate District 33: Jennifer Carroll Foy
- Senate District 35: State Sen. David Marsden, seeking to replace Dick Saslaw, one of several retiring state legislators who represent parts of Fairfax County
- House District 7: At-large school board member Karen Keys-Gamarra
- House District 15: Springfield District school board representative Laura Jane Cohen
- House District 19: Rozia Henson Jr., though Fairfax County voters favored Makya Little by 38 votes in the mostly Prince William County-focused district
Fairfax County residents will finally get the chance to satisfy their sweet-tooth cravings this fall.
For the second year in a row, the DMV Chocolate and Coffee Festival is returning to Dulles Expo Center (4320 Chantilly Shopping Center) on Oct. 7 and 8.
Tickets for the event are currently on sale for 50% off until 11:59 p.m. on June 30. With the discounted rates, general admission tickets start at $8.00, and VIP tickets are priced at $13.50.
With ambitious plans to expand from its first run, this year’s festival will be transitioning from the Dulles Expo Center’s North Hall to the South Hall, giving vendors an additional 70,000 square feet — roughly three times as much space as last year, says John Hill, half of the husband-wife duo behind the festival.
John, and his wife Lindsay, hope the increased space will accommodate the influx of visitors to Dulles Town Center after last year’s festival hit max capacity at over 8,000 people, according to a press release.
To ensure the thousands of visitors projected to attend have plenty to see, the festival will feature over 100 different vendors from around D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Vendor applications are still being accepted in a search for what John described as the “most unique” businesses.
Many small businesses based locally in the Fairfax County area will appear in hopes of finding lifelong customers. Among the list are Weird Brothers Coffee, Cameron’s Coffee and Chocolates, Le Papiyon Chocolatier, Dano’s Granola and River-Sea Chocolates.
“What we’ve heard from our vendors is that by coming out to this event, they’re able to reach people that have never heard of them before,” John said. “Like River-Sea is right there next to the center, but they’ve had new customers come in their doors because they found them at the Chocolate Coffee Festival, and now they’ve learned that there’s a storefront location.”
Other interactive additions slated for the festival include educational classes, chocolate and coffee mascots for photo opportunities, and a kids’ craft table. Carrying over from last year, attendees will also get access to “tons and tons and tons of free samples,” John says.
The festival has again partnered with the Christian radio station WGTS 91.9, with a portion of every ticket sale being donated back to the organization.
Festival guests are encouraged to bring canned food donations to the WGTS 9.19 tent to support Food for Others, a nonprofit food bank. Donors will have their names entered into a prize drawing and get a chance to win an assortment of artisan goods donated by participating vendors.
Giving back through supporting local communities and small businesses is ultimately what fuels the Hills’ passion for hosting events like the DMV Chocolate and Coffee Festival.
“We really care a lot about small business, which is why we got involved in this — it’s to help other businesses grow,” John said. “That’s an exciting, fun thing for us, just to help people with great ideas share their ideas with the world.”
The couple became inspired to lead the festival after helping a friend tour the country to promote their small business and seeing a similar event on the West Coast.
“[The tour] opened open our eyes to the world of events and how beneficial events can be helping small businesses get attention for their products and their brand and tell their story,” John said. “It’s a lot easier to tell your story face-to-face with an attendee than through the internet or email.”
The Hills transported the chocolate and coffee festival from across the country to Chantilly “so that county residents can get the closest, best experience of having [a DMV-region event] right in their backyard,” John said.
This fall marks the Hills’ second year of running the DMV Chocolate and Coffee Festival, and they have no plans to make it their last.
“When we see those vendors selling out of product as most of our vendors did last year, it just like makes us feel like, ‘Okay, we’re doing the right thing, we’re helping these people,’” Lindsay said. “And that’s why we want to keep doing the event.”
The McLean Volunteer Fire Department (MVFD) will soon get a new and improved ambulance, thanks in part to the success of a recent “Kitchen and Garden Tour.”
The Woman’s Club of McLean, a local charitable group, presented a check with the $13,000 raised by the tour to the fire department on Monday (June 19), fulfilling a promise that got deferred by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think most of us have had the benefit of calling the fire department,” Women’s Club member Kay Burnell said, recalling one time when her husband got ill and collapsed. “…Most of us have had an experience with them where there’s a fire or an accident, so we just felt we needed to support them and say thank you to them.”
Organized by co-chairs Burnell, Karen Moore and Silke Soff, the Kitchen and Garden Tour on April 27 gave community members a chance to explore the kitchens and gardens of houses on Ballantrae Farm Drive and Countryside Court at Holyrood Drive.
The Woman’s Club, which was founded in 1958, had organized a kitchen and garden tour just once before to raise money for veteran housing at the retirement community Vinson Hall, according to Burnell. The concept was revived this year as an alternative to the usual Holiday Homes Tour fundraiser, which has been on hold during the pandemic.
The pandemic also delayed MVFD’s 100-year anniversary celebration, which got pushed from 2021 to 2022. The Woman’s Club had planned a fundraiser for the department in 2020 to support the festivities.
“Because of the pandemic we were unable to raise the money,” Burnell said. “This year we tried again and happily were able to make good on our promise of 2020.”
The change in timing turned out to be fortuitous for the fire department, which is looking to add a fire engine after acquiring the new ambulance.
With a total price tag of $335,000, the ambulance is expected to arrive later this summer or early fall, according to MVFD President Patricia Moynihan. The department also raised funds through donations, Christmas ornament sales and other activities, including taking out a loan.
Replacing one of the department’s two ambulances, the new vehicle will be a “state-of-the-art piece of apparatus,” Moynihan says.
“We’re super excited and I know the ladies have worked really hard on this, and so we’re really appreciative,” she told FFXnow.
According to MVFD Emergency Medical Services Captain Lynn Clancy, one of the biggest improvements will be the addition of a power load cot system.
“We are always looking to improve safety and this system will use mechanical lifting to move the stretcher into and out of the ambulance,” Clancy said. “It is safer for the EMT/Paramedics and the patients. Back injuries are the biggest career-ending injuries in EMS. Additionally, under our capital equipment replacement plan, it is time to replace one of the existing, heavily-used vehicles, which is becoming unreliable.”
The new engine will cost about $500,000, half of which will be covered by Fairfax County, Moynihan says. The volunteer fire department hasn’t started fundraising for its half of the costs yet, though the Woman’s Club likely won’t be as involved as it was for the ambulance.
According to Burnell, the organization typically gives equal amounts to the different charities it supports, so another big fundraiser for the MVFD isn’t in the works.
However, a repeat of the Kitchen and Garden Tour may be on the table for next year. After experiencing a decline during the pandemic, the Women’s Club has seen an uptick in members since this year’s tour, which Burnell says “was such a festive day and was so well-received.”
Those who miss the traditional Holiday Homes Tour, which saw volunteers decorate houses in McLean for participants to visit, can rest assured that the club feels the same way.
“We’ve done it for over 55 years. So, we’re very hopeful that we can do that,” Burnell said. “If we can’t, then probably we will do this kitchen garden tour as our main fundraiser.”
Photo courtesy MVFD
Metro Warns of $750 Million Budget Gap — “Tuesday, Metro painted a dire picture of what would happen if the problem festers: service cuts that would ‘devastate the region.’ These cuts would include eliminating two-thirds of bus and rail service resulting in worse service quality and degraded safety and accessibility.” [DCist]
County’s Auditor to Review Recent Police Shootings — “Because of the ‘dramatic uptick’ in officer-involved shootings by Fairfax County police in the past two years, the county’s Office of the Independent Police Auditor in coming months will review all 15 police shootings of people since 2017.” A nonprofit is also reviewing shootings since 2021. [Gazette Leader]
Tysons-Based Newspaper Publisher Sues Google — “Gannett Co. Inc. (NYSE: GCI) said Tuesday it has sued Google and parent company Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL), alleging ‘monopolization of advertising technology markets and deceptive commercial practices.’” The lawsuit “alleges Google and Alphabet force publishers ‘to sell growing shares of that ad space to Google at depressed prices,’” reducing revenue for newspaper publishers. [Washington Business Journal]
Republicans Threaten FBI HQ Funding — “Some House Republicans, angered by the indictment of former President Donald Trump, are threatening to withhold funding for the FBI and put the brakes on plans for the agency to move out of D.C…Trump has been indicted on 37 counts related to the mishandling of sensitive documents.” [WTOP/Inside NoVA]
Penn Daw Walmart Reopens After Renovation — “Dozens of employees from the Walmart Supercenter at Kings Crossing gathered June 16 to celebrate the grand re-opening of the store following a three-month remodel.” Updates include new register technology and changes to the store inventory, with an expansion of the pick-up and digital area expected in the next three months. [On the MoVe]
Reston Data Center Acquired — “Data center firm Edge Centres has acquired a facility in Reston, Virginia. The company said the newly-acquired carrier hotel facility, renamed EC104, offers 1MW with room to scale, and has 20 individual carriers present…Though the company didn’t disclose the precise location, the data center matches 11513 Sunset Hills Rd” [Data Center Dynamics]
Financial Aid Offered to Child Care Providers — “Fairfax County’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services invites eligible child care providers to apply for $2.5 million in grants intended to help county child care providers recover from the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.” [NCS]
Wolf Trap Hosts First Out & About Festival This Weekend — “Brandi Carlile is certainly a big enough draw on her own, but Wolf Trap decided to expand her visit into a special two-day festival for Pride Month with the Out & About Festival in Vienna, Virginia this Saturday and Sunday, June 24 and 25.” [WTOP]
It’s Wednesday — Showers likely, mainly after 2pm. Cloudy, with a high near 72. Northeast wind 14 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%, rising to 80% at night. New precipitation could range from a tenth to half of an inch. [Weather.gov]
(Updated at 1 a.m. on 6/21/2023) The Fairfax County Democratic Committee has congratulated incumbent Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano as its nominee in one of the most closely watched races in the 2023 Democratic primary.
Descano received about 55.4% of the vote over challenger Ed Nuttall, who ended with 44.6% after shrinking a larger early deficit, according to the Virginia Department of Elections’ unofficial results.
With 75% of the vote, Sheriff Stacey Kincaid has been congratulated by the FCDC as its nominee, putting her on track for a third full term. The county’s first female sheriff, she faced a challenge by former D.C. police officer and Herndon High School football coach Kelvin Garcia.
Incumbents Jeff McKay and Dan Storck also snagged nominations, respectively, for the chair and Mount Vernon District seats on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
In the Dranesville District, the FCDC has declared its former Democratic committee chair, Jimmy Bierman, as its nominee to succeed longtime Supervisor John Foust, who is retiring after this year. Bierman bested McLean Citizens Association board member David R. Fiske with about 70% of the vote.
The Mason District supervisor race — the most crowded local contest on the ballot — is leaning toward Mason District Planning Commissioner Andres Jimenez, who has just 134 more votes than the next-highest candidate, local business owner Reid Voss.
Vying for the chance to challenge incumbent Springfield District Supervisor Pat Herrity, the board’s only Republican, tech entrepreneur Albert Vega has 55% of the vote so far compared to 44.9% for Fairfax County firefighter John Nowadly.
Looking at the Virginia General Assembly, some upsets may be in store for the 36th and 37th Senate Districts.
In the 36th District, Sully District school board representative Stella Pekarsky currently has just a 394-vote lead over George Barker, who has served in the state Senate since 2008 but was one of several local senators affected by redistricting in 2021.
In the 37th District, challenger Saddam Azlan Salim has a 592-vote lead over incumbent Chap Petersen, who has represented the Vienna and Fairfax City area for 16 years. Salim campaigned as “progressive” alternative to Petersen, who sometimes deviates from the party line and joined forces with Kincaid and Nuttall as a “common sense team.”
Incumbent state Sen. Dave Marsden is poised to win in the 35th District, while one-time gubernatorial Jennifer Carroll Foy looks likely to beat former lieutenant governor candidate Hala Ayala for the Senate District 33 nomination.
In a four-way race to succeed longtime Del. Ken Plum for the 7th House District, at-large Fairfax County School Board member Karen Keys-Gamarra is ahead with 36.5% of the vote, followed in order by Air Force veteran Shyamali Roy Hauth, teacher Paul Berry and systems engineer Mary Barthelson.
Retiring after 44 years in office, Plum endorsed Keys-Gamarra as his successor earlier this year, stating that she “reflects the progressive Democratic values I have always represented.”
Finally, Springfield District school board representative Laura Jane Cohen has been declared the nominee for the 15th House District after securing 68% of the vote.
“When I decided to run for the House of Delegates I promised that I would stand up to Governor Youngkin and the far right to defend public education, reproductive freedom, voting rights, our environment, and the progress we’ve made on gun violence prevention,” Cohen said in a message to supporters. “I maintain that promise, and am honored that the people of the 15th district have chosen me to be their Democratic nominee.”
Voter turnout for today’s Democratic primary has been more of a trickle than a stream, despite some pivotal races appearing on the ballot in Fairfax County.
By 1 p.m., just 2.6% of registered voters had cast a ballot today, the Fairfax County Office of Elections reported. That put the total turnout for the primary at an estimated 7.2%, including early in-person and mail voting.
Vienna’s Cunningham Park Elementary School was creeping past 180 voters around 1:30 p.m. The precinct hoped to reach 300 voters for the day, according to a volunteer handing out pamphlets for 37th Senate District candidate Saddam Azlan Salim, who’s challenging incumbent Chap Petersen.
Over in Bailey’s Crossroads, the Bailey’s Community Center had counted just 91 voters by that time.
In our 2nd report for the day, estimated turnout at the polls has now reached 2.6% for today's Democratic primary. So far, the total turnout for this election is estimated at 7.2% when including the #votebymail & early votes cast before today. pic.twitter.com/g2u74LT88Q
— Fairfax County Votes (@fairfaxvotes) June 20, 2023
With the county leaning decidedly Democratic in recent years, the primary results could determine the ultimate winners of key local and state elections, including Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney, where incumbent Steve Descano is in a heated battle with defense attorney Ed Nuttall. No Republican candidates for the office have emerged so far.
Other races in today’s primary include county sheriff, five Fairfax County Board of Supervisors seats and seven seats in the Virginia General Assembly. The full Board of Supervisors and General Assembly, along with the Fairfax County School Board, will be on the ballot in November’s general election.
Today’s turnout will need to double by the time polls close at 7 p.m. for the percentage to match the last Democratic primary with the same races on the ballot. The June 11, 2019 primary recorded a 10.3% turnout, per county records.
Notably, the number of active, registered voters in the county was actually higher four years ago at 721,716 people. The county currently has 717,116 active, registered voters, according to an Office of Elections spokesperson.
The exact reason for the drop is unclear, but the county’s population growth has slowed since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, declining in 2021 for the first time since 1840 before a slight uptick last year.
