Some of Arlington’s non-Democrat candidates for County Board see potential opportunities in the county’s ranked-choice voting system this November.
But so does incumbent County Board Chair Takis Karantonis.
While Democratic nominees are always favored in Arlington elections, ranked-choice might give other candidates at least a slim pathway to possible victory.
Even if not, having ranked-choice voting in November will provide “another opportunity to test out the system,” Karantonis told ARLnow.
Karantonis defeated James DeVita in the June 17 Democratic primary and moved on to the general election.
Because it was a two-candidate race, ranked choice was not in place for the primary. But Karantonis has first-hand knowledge of how ranked-choice can impact elections.
In the summer of 2020, the Arlington County Democratic Committee ran a caucus election to select a nominee for the special election following the death of Board member Erik Gutshall.
Caucus voting in the four-candidate race was limited to members of the Democratic Committee — party leaders plus precinct captains — and was held under a version of ranked-choice voting.
Barbara Kanninen, then on the School Board, won the highest number of first-round votes in the crowded field, but did not win an absolute majority. As multiple rounds of ranked-choice voting played out and candidates Chanda Choun and Nicole Merlene were eliminated, Karantonis eventually leapfrogged Kanninen to surpass 50% and win the nomination.
Karantonis went on to win the special election in July 2020 and then a full four-year term in November 2021.
One of those he will face in November is Audrey Clement, who has run nonstop for more than a dozen years as a protest candidate.
She said Karantonis’ performance in the recent primary — garnering about 64% against DeVita, compared to the 72% achieved by Del. Patrick Hope against two challengers in the 1st House District — reveals a degree of vulnerability for challengers to exploit.
“The more voices raised against machine politics and ‘bullet’ [single-candidate] voting, the better,” Clement told ARLnow. “I know I have a message to send to the voters.”
But she acknowledged a large field most likely benefits Karantonis.
“The more challengers the merrier for the incumbent, who will likely make quota on the first round in November,” Clement said.
Republican contender Bob Cambridge acknowledged in an ARLnow interview that his party has been “waffling back and forth” on ranked-choice voting. But with the change having been made, Cambridge said he has a strategy in place.
Beyond those supporting his candidacy, Cambridge said he is “focusing on those people for whom I might be a second choice.”
Support for and opposition to ranked-choice voting has been relatively evenly split in Arlington, according to county-government data.
Some of that opposition is ingrained and unlikely to be swayed. But some may be due to unfamiliarity with how ranked-choice works, and confusion over it being used in one race but not in others.
County Board members on June 18 put out a call for businesses and organizations wanting to help explain the process to the public.
A total of $60,000 in grant funding will be available for the effort, which will focus on further explaining the voting process in advance of the Nov. 4 election. Organizations have until July 18 to submit proposals, with final selection set for Aug. 1.
Having outside help will provide “a really good start to get out information,” said Board member Julius “JD” Spain Sr.
Spain during the recent budget process pressed for additional public outreach on ranked-choice voting. On June 18, he said county leaders are looking to see creativity in the approaches proposed.
“Apply if you’re qualified and let’s see what happens,” he said.
Like Karantonis, Spain has experience with ranked-choice voting, having been unsuccessful in the 2023 Democratic primary but then emerging on top in both the 2024 primary and general elections.
In addition to Karantonis, Clement and Cambridge, those who have made the ballot include independents Jeramy Olmack and Carlos De Castro “DC” Pretelt. County election officials are working to determine the eligibility of another independent.
Until this year, Arlington stood alone among commonwealth jurisdictions in holding ranked-choice elections. But that has now changed.
On June 17, Charlottesville became Virginia’s second locality to use ranked-choice voting. The City Council approved a pilot program for use in the Democratic primary, and will evaluate the results to determine whether it will be expanded to the general election.
Several other jurisdictions also are moving toward implementation.
Advocates for ranked-choice voting in Virginia are hoping to expand its applicability beyond local governing bodies to all political races. Their efforts so far have been stymied in Richmond, where Democrats hold the General Assembly but Republicans the governorship.
The election of Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger could change the political calculus and open the door to legislation providing the option for ranked-choice in other races.
Currently in Arlington, voters only have the ability to rank up to three candidates owing to election-software limitations. Election officials are planning to replace the decade-old equipment over the coming year, which is likely to allow for ranking more candidates.
