Arlington, Virginia – The Virginia NAACP, the Arlington Branch of the NAACP, and the Arlington Civic Federation each endorsed HB 2768 this week, calling on the Arlington County Board, Arlington Senators Barbara Favola and Adam Ebbin to “stand with us in strengthening democracy” by supporting the legislation to expand Arlington County’s ability to self-govern.
In a letter of support, Rev. DeLishia A. Davis, president of the Arlington Branch of the NAACP, wrote:
The Arlington Branch of the NAACP strongly supports HB 2768, legislation that would modernize Arlington County’s government structure and expand democratic participation in our community.
As an organization committed to advancing civil rights, equity, and voter empowerment, we recognize that local governance must evolve to reflect the needs and voices of all residents. HB 2768 provides a critical opportunity for Arlington voters to shape their government by allowing a referendum on key structural changes, including the election of the County Board chair to a four-year term, increasing the number of Board members, and adopting a more representative election system.
These reforms can help ensure broader representation, greater accountability, and more equitable decision-making in Arlington County. We urge our elected officials and community leaders to support this important measure and stand with us in strengthening democracy at the local level.
In a letter to lawmakers, Nicholas J. Giacobbe, vice president of the Arlington County Civic Federation, wrote:
I am writing on behalf of the Arlington County Civic Federation (ACCF) to request your support for HB 2768, a bill sponsored by Delegates Patrick Hope and Adele McClure that aims to put measures in place that will permit the citizens of Arlington to update and modernize its local government. The bill applies to the county manager plan of government, and currently only Arlington County has adopted the county manager plan of government, so its effects will be limited to Arlington County. It will give Arlington abilities which match those of peer jurisdictions, which it currently lacks.
…For over 100 years ACCF has worked to strengthen local governance, in fact it was ACCF that led the analysis, debate, and push for adoption of a 1930 referendum that authorized the current county manager form of government that has served Arlington well since 1932. Passage of HB 2768 will set up a mechanism that will permit the citizens of Arlington to consider whether changes are needed for the effective governance of the County for the next 100 years.
If HB 2768 is enacted, the Arlington County Board would be able to request a referendum on whether voters can elect its chair to a 4-year term; whether the Board can increase the number of its members; and whether the Board can alter its elections to include candidates running at-large, in single districts, or a hybrid of the two options. A 2024 constituent survey found that 96% of voters polled support some or all of these measures.
Arlington is the only locality that must receive permission from Richmond to make changes to its form of government. The County switched from three single-member districts to five at-large Board elections in 1930 under Jim Crow policies aimed to keep Black Arlingtonians from fair and equal representation. As a result, Arlington has only elected four African Americans in nearly 100 years.
The bill was introduced by Delegate Patrick Hope of Virginia House District 1 (D-Arlington) and copatroned by Delegate Adele McClure of Virginia House District 2 (D-Arlington). It passed the House of Delegates last week 54-40 and now sits in the Senate’s Committee on Local Government.
Delegate Hope said of the endorsements:
“I’m pleased to have such broad community support from the Virginia NAACP, the Arlington Branch of the NAACP, and the ACCF behind this legislation. My bill builds on their decades of work to provide Arlington and the Commonwealth with a more representative and more accountable form of government.”
Delegate Hope added, “For nearly 100 years, my constituents have not enjoyed the same powers at the local level as the rest of Virginia. It’s time to give Arlingtonians and the County Board the ability to self-govern as they choose without interference from Richmond.”
Patrick A. Hope is a member of the Virginia General Assembly as the Delegate from the 1st District representing part of Arlington County. He is chair of the House Courts of Justice Committee and serves on the House Health and Human Services Committee, and the House Public Safety Committee.