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Misleading anti-redistricting mailers prompt outcry from AG Jones, Virginia NAACP

Published April 1, 2026 at 3:45PM

An anti-redistricting mailer sent to Arlington households (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

A public messaging brawl over Virginia’s upcoming redistricting referendum has gotten even messier with new mailers prominently displaying out-of-context quotes from former President Barack Obama.

The front of the mailers, which some Arlington households received last week, urges residents to vote against redistricting and quotes Obama as saying, “Let voters decide, not politicians.” Obama actually supports redistricting, and his quote is taken from a pro-redistricting ad released a few weeks ago.

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County Board extends ranked-choice voting but declines to make it permanent

By Scott McCaffrey

Published March 16, 2026 at 2:45PM

A man inserts a ballot into a voting machine at Walter Reed Community Center on Tuesday, June 20, 2023 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington County Board elections will continue to use ranked-choice voting through at least 2027.

County Board members unanimously opted for a two-year extension of the pilot program that has been in place since 2024 — coming up short of advocates’ requests to make the switch permanent for all future general elections.

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Campaign signs can stay on Arlington medians, but with new restrictions

By Scott McCaffrey

Published March 16, 2026 at 9:15AM

A James DeVita campaign sign (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

The Arlington County Board has voted to restrict, but not eliminate, the placement of campaign signs and other signage on county medians.

In a 4-1 vote, a majority of Board members said the compromise is a reasonable middle ground that will reduce clutter without severely impacting candidates’ ability to get their messages out.

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County Board candidate threatens lawsuit over proposal to ban median signs

By Scott McCaffrey

Published March 2, 2026 at 10:00AM

A James DeVita campaign sign (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

An Arlington County Board candidate is threatening legal action if the county government places new limits on people’s ability to put campaign signs in public medians.

“I guarantee you that if they try to pass legislation to ban median signs, I will file a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the law as a violation of my First Amendment rights,” James DeVita told ARLnow. “I will also seek an injunction to prevent any such law from going into effect.”

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Arlington officials consider ban on campaign signs in median strips

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 24, 2026 at 10:00AM

Campaign signage in median, May 2025 (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Political campaign signs could soon be a thing of the past on Arlington medians.

County Board members in March are expected to consider a staff recommendation that would prohibit all signage — commercial, personal and political — on county-owned median strips and areas between sidewalks and roadways.

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Arlington Democratic officials pair up for fundraising competition

By Scott McCaffrey

Published August 11, 2025 at 10:00AM

Arlington Sheriff candidate Jose Quiroz greets County Board member Takis Karantonis at the Walter Reed Community Center during the 2023 campaign (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington’s local elected officials are flexing their fundraising muscles as the sprint to Election Day begins.

Teams of two have paired up to sell the Arlington County Democratic Committee’s “Gold Card,” which provides access to upcoming party events while raising funds needed for get-out-the-vote initiatives.

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Beyer announces reelection bid, pledging to wield influence to keep fighting Trump

By Ryan Cole

Published June 27, 2025 at 8:30AM

Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) speaks on the House floor, April 2024 (via Rep. Don Beyer/Twitter)

Rep. Don Beyer is pursuing another term in office, promising to keep fighting “abuses of power” while his party plots strategies to take back Congress.

The Democrat representing Virginia’s 8th Congressional District, which includes all of Arlington, acknowledged to ARLnow that his party has struggled to resist dramatic policy changes under President Donald Trump while Republicans control the legislature.

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County Board candidate places ‘tracking chips’ in signs over theft allegations

By Dan Egitto and Scott McCaffrey

Published May 6, 2025 at 3:45PM

Campaign signage in median, May 2025 (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

An Arlington County Board candidate claims to have begun placing “tracking chips” in his campaign signs after he says many of them were stolen.

James DeVita, who is challenging incumbent Takis Karantonis in the Democratic primary, spent over $10,000 on campaign signs in March alone, according to campaign finance records.

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Races for Arlington School Board, County Board and state delegate get underway

By Scott McCaffrey and Dan Egitto

Published May 1, 2025 at 3:45PM | Updated May 1, 2025 at 4:15PM

Voting at Arlington Central Library on Nov. 7, 2023 (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Campaigns in Arlington’s Democratic primary and School Board caucus are kicking into gear, with three competitive races at the local level.

Candidates Monique “Moe” Bryant and June Prakash are competing for one open seat on the Arlington School Board.

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New County Board member asks for help paying campaign debt

By Dan Egitto

Published January 8, 2025 at 9:45AM

JD Spain, Sr. at the Arlington Democrats' election November 2024 watch party in Crystal City (staff photo by James Jarvis)

The Arlington County Board’s newest member is asking supporters for assistance in paying off remaining campaign debt.

JD Spain, Sr., who took out $32,000 in loans a few weeks before the Democratic primary in June, emailed supporters on Dec. 30 asking them to contribute to a “final push” for funding. As of the end of December, Spain told ARLnow, he had paid off 85% of campaign loans.

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Forward Party aims to press forward with uphill political climb

By Scott McCaffrey

Published November 7, 2024 at 11:30AM

Forward party candidates James Rives, middle left, and Madison Granger (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

They’ll be back in 2025, local leaders of the Forward Party declare.

Despite the party’s four endorsed candidates in Arlington and Alexandria races not pulling out any victories, the leadership said 2024 was just the start of a multi-year growth plan in Virginia.

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Sen. Tim Kaine greets voters in Arlington in final turnout push

By Dan Egitto

Published October 29, 2024 at 3:45PM | Updated October 29, 2024 at 4:19PM

Sen. Tim Kaine (right) and Arlington Democrats Chair Steve Baker (left) after an event at Walter Reed Community Center in 2024 (staff photo by Dan Egitto)

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) made an appearance at the Walter Reed Community Center in Arlington today (Tuesday) as the push for voter turnout enters its final stretch.

With one week to go until Election Day, Kaine and Arlington Democrats Chair Steve Baker expressed optimism about their numbers so far but said they aren’t taking their foot off the gas.