Article Text
Early voting began Friday, May 2, at select Fairfax County locations for Virginia’s June 17 Democratic primary, which will decide the party’s nominees in several statewide contests.
Fairfax is among 133 Virginia counties and cities holding Democratic primaries this year. Only 31 localities will conduct both Democratic and Republican primaries on June 17, and Fairfax County is not one of them.
Virginia political parties select candidates for the Nov. 4 general election through primaries or caucuses. A party holds a primary only when at least two of its candidates qualify for the same office. The filing deadline for statewide and House of Delegates primary candidates was April 3.
Statewide races on the Fairfax ballot
There will be no gubernatorial primary on June 17 because both parties have already selected their nominees. Democrat Abigail Spanberger and Republican Winsome Sears are set to appear on the November ballot.
Six Democrats are competing for the lieutenant governor nomination: Levar Marcus Stoney, Babur Lateef, Aaron Rouse, Victor Salgado, Ghazala Hashmi and Alexander J. Bastan.
Republicans will not hold a lieutenant governor primary. Pat Herrity withdrew from the race for health reasons on April 21, leaving John Reid as the party’s nominee.
In the Democratic contest for attorney general, Jerrauld “Jay” Jones is running against Shannon Taylor. The winner will face Republican Jason Miyares, who has served as Virginia’s attorney general since 2022.
Fairfax delegates avoid Democratic primaries
All 100 seats in the Virginia House of Delegates will be on the November ballot. Delegates serve two-year terms, and 15 districts include portions of Fairfax County.
None of the Democratic delegates representing Fairfax faces a primary challenger, so the county has no Democratic House contests on June 17. No Republicans currently represent Fairfax County in the General Assembly.
Candidates seeking to qualify for the Nov. 4 House elections outside the primary process have until 7 p.m. on June 17 to submit the required documents.
Katie Gorka, chair of the Fairfax County Republican Committee, said the organization was recruiting additional House candidates. She urged residents concerned about county taxes, public safety and school test scores to consider running for delegate.
The House races affecting Fairfax County stood as follows:
- District 4: Democratic incumbent Charniele Herring is seeking reelection, with no Republican challenger listed.
- District 6: Republican Kristin Hoffman is challenging Democratic incumbent Rip Sullivan.
- District 7: Republican Cassandra Aucoin is challenging Democratic incumbent Karen Keys-Gamarra.
- District 8: Republican Indira Massey is challenging Democratic incumbent Irene Shin.
- District 9: Democratic incumbent Karrie Delaney is seeking reelection, with no Republican challenger listed.
- District 10: Democratic incumbent Dan Helmer is seeking reelection, with no Republican challenger listed.
- District 11: Republican Adam Wise is challenging Democratic incumbent David Bulova.
- District 12: Democratic incumbent Holly Seibold is seeking reelection, with no Republican challenger listed.
- District 13: Democratic incumbent Marcus Simon is seeking reelection, with no Republican challenger listed.
- District 14: Democratic incumbent Vivian Watts is seeking reelection, with no Republican challenger listed.
- District 15: Republican Saundra Davis is challenging Democratic incumbent Laura Cohen.
- District 16: Republican Richard Hayden is challenging Democratic incumbent Paul Krizek.
- District 17: Democratic incumbent Mark Sickles is seeking reelection, with no Republican challenger listed.
- District 18: Republican Ed McGovern is challenging Democratic incumbent Kathy Tran.
- District 19: Democratic incumbent Rozia Henson is seeking reelection, with no Republican challenger listed.