President Joe Biden and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley won the majority of votes in Arlington in yesterday’s Virginia presidential primary.
However, the low voter turnout in both primaries might serve as a warning sign for both Biden and the now clear Republican frontrunner, former President Donald Trump, of a lack of voter enthusiasm.
Of Arlington’s 179,095 registered voters, 31,418 participated in the Super Tuesday primary, per the Virginia Department of Elections. Biden won the majority of Democratic votes, receiving 14,637 votes (89.3%), while Haley led the Republican field with 10,957 votes (73.7%), far outpacing Trump, who received 3,538 votes (23.8%).
Haley achieved double-digit victories in almost every Arlington precinct, with the exception of the Arlington Mill neighborhood, where Trump outpaced her by nine votes. Biden comfortably won all precincts, with his nearest competitor, Marianne Williamson, seldom securing more than 15% of the vote in a precinct.
Despite making substantial gains in Northern Virginia, including victories in Fairfax County and Alexandria, Haley’s efforts fell short of a statewide win. Trump comfortably won in Virginia — and 12 other Super Tuesday states — with 434,945 votes (63.3%) as of today, compared to Haley’s 238,054 (34.6%).
Biden secured 306,845 out of 345,927 votes statewide (88.4%) with nearly all localities reporting. Comparatively, he received 705,834 votes out of the 1.3 million cast statewide (53.3%) in the 2020 presidential primary, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.
National media outlets have reported that Haley plans to suspend her campaign this morning after she was severely defeated in most Republican primary elections across the country, though she did win Vermont last night and D.C. on Sunday.
Local election experts and party leaders closely watched Haley and Biden’s performance in D.C. suburbs, including Arlington, to gauge suburban dissatisfaction with the presidential front-runners.
While Haley and Biden’s comparatively more moderate politics won out in Arlington, the low turnout could be a sign voters are not satisfied with their choices.
On the eve of Super Tuesday, local party leaders, political consults and pundits on both sides of the aisle have already agreed on who the Republican and Democratic nominees for president will be.
One question lingering in the minds of many is whether the D.C. suburbs, including Arlington, can offer any indication of whether candidates are gaining or losing sufficient suburban voters to impact the general election.
“We had presidential election-style turnout in 2021 in Virginia, partly based on suburban voters in Northern Virginia and outside Richmond,” Arlington GOP Chair Matthew Hurtt told ARLnow. “Both campaigns will surely be focused on engaging and turning out those voters and, so we’ll see ads on abortion, we’ll see ads on things happening in our school system, and it’ll be up to them.”
When the polls open tomorrow (Tuesday) at 6 a.m., voters in Virginia and 14 other states will have the opportunity to cast their in-person ballots for the nominees of both major parties until the polls close at 7 p.m. Because Virginia operates an open primary system, registered voters are not required to cast their ballots according to party affiliation.
As of today (March 4), the following Republican and Democratic presidential candidates are on the ballot in Virginia:
- Ryan Binkley (R)
- Chris Christie (R)
- Nikki Haley (R)
- Gov. Ron DeSantis (R)
- Vivek Ramaswamy (R)
- Donald J. Trump (R)
- President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D)
- U.S. Rep. Dean Benson Phillips (D)
- Marianne Williamson (D)
(Note: Republicans Chris Christie, Vivek Ramaswamy and Ron Desantis have suspended their respective campaigns but have not formally withdrawn from the race in Virginia.)
Despite the slim chances of a Republican presidential contender winning Arlington in the general election, Republicans are hoping that enough support from moderate Republicans and independents in D.C. suburbs could influence the general election outcome in Virginia.
No Republican candidate has captured a majority of the vote in Arlington County since Ronald Reagan’s election in 1980, according to county voting records. Since then, the political divide has only widened, with Arlington solidifying its reputation as a stronghold of liberal politics.
Nevertheless, local Republican leaders point to a slight uptick in Republican engagement in Arlington. Gov. Glenn Youngkin netted nearly 5,300 more votes in the November 2021 general election than Republican candidate Ed Gillespie received in 2017, an increase of nearly four percentage points, per voting records.
So far, early voting numbers suggest a low turnout for the upcoming primaries. Out of 158,145 registered voters, about 8,000 have already voted early, either in person or by mail. Of these, 5,689 were for Democratic candidates and 2,000 for Republican candidates, per the county’s Election Dashboard.
Local Republican campaign strategist Andrew Loposser says the lack of participation is likely a consequence of a lack of motivation among Republican voters, who are discouraged by the presence of a clear frontrunner.
“They don’t care that much because they know Trump is going to be the nominee,” he says.
Democratic party officials in nearby counties, including Fairfax, have also voiced concerns about voter turnout among Democrats. However, Arlington Democratic Committee Chair Steve Baker says he’s confident that the Democratic base will turn out to support Biden’s record and show opposition to his likely general election opponent, Trump.
“When we talk to voters, we see a lot of energy and excitement around all the accomplishments that Joe Biden has accomplished in the last four years,” Baker told ARLnow. “Whether it’s the [bipartisan] infrastructure bill, the Inflation Reduction Act, the PACT Act, CHIPS Act, student debt relief — up to $1.2 billion in student debt relief.
“And on the other side, we have a presumptive Republican nominee, who has said that he will be a dictator on day one and has taken credit for the Dobbs decision,” he continued.
With ranked-choice voting now the go-to method for local primaries in Arlington, the County Board is also considering using it for the November general election.
This Saturday, the Board plans to hold a public hearing to decide whether to use the voting method, also known as RCV, in the County Board election this fall to fill Chair Libby Garvey’s soon-to-be-vacant seat — the only one expected to be empty.
Five candidates are currently vying for Garvey’s seat, including first-time candidate and Planning Commissioner Tenley Peterson, second-time candidates J.D. Spain, Sr. and Natalie Roy, first-time candidate Julie Farnam, and former State Senate candidate James DeVita. To win the nomination, a candidate must get a 51% majority.
A county report argues that using RCV in November will allow the Board to assess how well the new electoral system is received and decide on its potential expansion in future general elections.
If adopted, RCV — a process in which voters rank candidates by preference — would not apply if more than one County Board seat is up for grabs. More time is needed to introduce, clarify and debate RCV as an election method for two or more open seats, the report says
Arlington County piloted RCV in last year’s primary after a 2022 survey showed majority support among residents. The Virginia General Assembly approved a measure in 2020 that allows localities to adopt RCV for elections to a county board, board of supervisors or city council.
In December, the Board endorsed ranked-choice voting as the default for Arlington’s primary elections.
Despite positive feedback from voters about the new system during the June 2023 primary, the Board chose not to use it for the 2023 general election. Members cited concerns over the quality of outreach to voters about the new system, particularly among communities of color, renters and young people.
The county plans to use its current voting machines for the County Board primary this June, but has allocated $2 million in the 2025 budget for new machines capable of handling more than three ranked-choice options.
Four School Board hopefuls are now jockeying for the endorsement of Arlington Democrats this May.
Kathleen Clark, Larry Fishtahler and Zuraya Tapia-Hadley launched their School Board bids during the Arlington Dems monthly meeting at Lubber Run Community Center on Wednesday night.
They and Chen Ling, an APS parent who threw his hat into the ring last month, will face off in the School Board caucus process in May.
While School Board races are non-partisan, the Democratic party picks a candidate to endorse in the general election and those who lose agree not to run in the general election. The designation generally is a strong predictor of victory in November, when voters will pick who will replace outgoing Chair Cristina Diaz-Torres and Vice-Chair David Priddy.
Clark, the vice-chair of the 2024-30 Arlington Public Schools Strategic Plan steering committee, kicked off with her summary of what roughly 4,000 APS school community members said were their hopes for the system.
“Every student deserves to achieve academic success. Every student has the right to feel safe and included at school,” she said. “Every teacher wants and deserves to feel heard, supported and appreciated and our community wants high-quality schools and a school system that is operationally effective and sustainable.”
Clark served for six years on the Special Education PTA and has spoken out in other media outlets about bullying of students with disabilities, including her son, who has autism.
An APS alumna whose children attend Cardinal Elementary and Swanson Middle schools, Clark is an internal auditor with Gap, according to APS.
“Arlington deserves a School Board member who prioritizes instruction while developing long-range plans, ensuring that there are seats available where our population is growing,” she said. “My experience as an internal auditor has taught me to ask the right questions around priorities and budget.”
Fishtahler, who once led the Advisory Council on Instruction and County Council of PTAs, returns to the School Board race after two failed School Board races in 2012 and 2003. He says he is concerned about waning confidence in APS.
“The Covid experience and the return-to-school have done significant damage to the confidence that our schools are providing the best value,” he said.
“The most valuable asset that we have in our schools are our teachers and school-based staff. It is here that confidence in the leadership of the central administration and the School Board itself continues to decline,” he continued. “The improvements that parents see happening because particular teachers particularly have taken on increases in workflow and additional stress.”
He pulled out of the 2012 race against candidates Noah Simon and incumbent Emma Violand-Sanchez in a two-seat race, including one seat vacated by Libby Garvey, now serving her last year on the Arlington County Board as its Chair. He said at the time he saw his chances were slim.
He previously ran for School Board in 2003 but lost to incumbent and Republican Dave Foster.
Tapia-Hadley, who was born in Mexico, raised in D.C. and has lived in Arlington for two decades, says she is uniquely suited to help ensure the School Board hears from everyone in the APS community.
Two new candidates for Arlington County Board have emerged — one is new to the ballot, while another is returning.
Last night (Wednesday), first-time candidate and current Planning Commissioner Tenley Peterson and second-time candidate J.D. Spain, Sr. announced their bids for the seat Chair Libby Garvey will vacate at the end of the year.
They will go up against Natalie Roy — who had Garvey’s support during the last Board race — as well as first-time candidate Julie Farnam and former State Senate candidate James DeVita in the Democratic primary on June 18.
Garvey has spoken highly of Peterson but tells ARLnow she is withholding endorsements this early in the campaign.
“There is so much to love about Arlington but our region is changing,” Peterson, a substitute teacher in Arlington Public Schools and consultant for nonprofits, said during the Arlington Democrats meeting at Lubber Run Community Center last night.
“We must be intentional about how we grow and adapt, ensuring it works for all Arlingtonians,” she continued.
Peterson outlined her priorities, including tackling housing shortages, climate change and educational disparities, while improving Arlington’s social safety net. She said she supported the Missing Middle/Expanded Housing Options zoning ordinance changes but still wants to see more transit-oriented development, too.
A self-described progressive Democrat and with experience on budget and planning issues, Peterson spent eight years reviewing budgets on the Fiscal Affairs Advisory Commission, including four as chair.
She joined the Planning Commission in 2019 and chaired community engagement for Amazon’s HQ2 project, supporting contributions to affordable housing, a new community park and a home for Arlington Community High School.
“I know how Arlington works,” she says on her website. “I’m a consensus builder who listens, brings people to the table, and finds solutions that work. I want to find common ground, so Arlington can continue to move forward and function as a place we can be proud of.”
Spain, a veteran and former president of the Arlington branch of the NAACP, announced his bid in an email newsletter to supporters, shared with ARLnow.
“I am running for public office because I believe in the fundamental principles of democracy, equality, and justice. I am running to be your representative and your champion in the pursuit of a safe, healthy, prosperous, and sustainable Arlington for all,” he said in the newsletter.
His said his top campaign issue is “ensuring the well-being and safety of our community.”
“As your representative, I will prioritize policies and planning initiatives to strengthen our public health infrastructure, expand access to healthcare services, and address the underlying social drivers of health,” he said, emphasizing investments in mental health and substance use education among students.
He is also campaigning on tackling rising economic security — by promoting job creation, supporting small businesses and taking on housing initiatives. Spain also spoke of the need to address climate change locally.
Young Arlington politicos across the partisan divide are closely watching Donald Trump’s presidential bid and its potential effect on voter turnout this cycle.
Whereas Arlington Young Democrats (AYD) is using the prospect of a second Trump presidency to mobilize the party’s base, Arlington-Falls Church Young Republicans (AFCYR) is threading the needle of supporting the likely GOP frontrunner without estranging members of their party.
“We were not a club that went out and endorsed [Trump] fully from the get-go. But we also weren’t a group that went out and said, ‘You know what, you shouldn’t be running again,’ because we knew that we had a wide breadth of beliefs within our club, and so we didn’t also want to kind of alienate people,” AFCYR Chair Victoria Churchill tells ARLnow.
Bylaws for both political groups explicitly forbid them from officially endorsing any candidate in contested primary elections.
Despite this, Churchill and her counterpart, Bryant Atkins, the president of the AYD, are gearing up for a seemingly inevitable rematch between former President Trump and the current incumbent, Joe Biden.
Considering Arlington County and Northern Virginia’s strong blue leanings, Atkins is optimistic about mobilizing local Democrats in November.
Since the 2016 presidential election, people ages 18-29 have turned out in record numbers, especially for Democrats, in federal and statewide elections, including Virginia.
Atkins says national issues such as climate change and reproductive rights played a major role in last year’s election, helping Democrats maintain their state Senate majority and reclaim the House of Delegates.
But some national polls indicate younger voters are souring on Biden, which Churchill is hoping to capitalize on.
“I think if you voted for Joe Biden four years ago, and you’re in a worse off place today, you’re not going to make the same mistake twice,” she said.
Since 2021, Churchill claims, economic issues such as rising housing costs and the return of student loan payments have made many young people in Arlington and the surrounding region cynical about the Biden administration.
“And so honestly, things like housing I think are kind of animating a lot of people to go out and vote again, be involved,” she said. “I think for people as they’re looking to make those kind of long term investments in their life, like they’re figuring out that it’s a lot harder than it has been.”
Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey is retiring at the end of her term in 2024.
She announced her decision near the top of a County Board meeting today (Tuesday).
“When my term ends in December, it will be 28 years of elected public service and about 17 primaries and general campaigns,” she said. “I’m loving this work. I love working with the staff, my colleagues and the residents. I mean, that’s the best part of this job, in many ways, but at this point, both my head and my heart are telling me it’s time I passed the baton.”
Garvey was first elected to the County Board in 2012, after previously serving on the Arlington School Board.
Continuing the relay analogy, Garvey says she intends “to sprint to the finish” and looks forward to accomplishing more for Arlington in the next 11 months, including leading the newly unveiled 2050 visioning process — a sweeping public engagement opportunity to envision what the county should look like in 26 years — and making Arlington more energy resilient.
“There will be time for more proper thank-yous and acknowledgments in the future,” she added in a statement to people who subscribe to her monthly newsletter, issued shortly after her announcement. “Please know that my friends and supporters have made it possible for me to do this work, which I love. And I look forward, as always, to your thoughts and suggestions as I continue to work for Arlington throughout this year.”
The acknowledgements have already started, however.
“We would like to thank Libby Garvey for her years of service on the County Board,” the Arlington County Democratic Committee said, in a statement posted on social media. “We know she’ll keep working for Arlington the rest of her term and beyond.”
So far, there are three candidates who have stepped up to fill her place, all vying to be the Democratic nominee selected in a primary this June.
Natalie Roy, who made her debut last election cycle on an anti-Missing Middle platform and received an endorsement from Garvey, is running for the second time. First-time candidate Julie Farnam, an Arlington Ridge Civic Association board member, is campaigning on improving public safety and taking what she calls a “smart” approach to planning and growth.
James DeVita, who ran for State Senate last election cycle, has also thrown his hat into the ring, according to Virginia Public Access Project.
Garvey’s decision follows that of fellow former County Board colleagues Christian Dorsey and Katie Cristol, who both announced last year they would not seek re-election. Cristol made her exit before her term ended while Dorsey saw out the end of his term.
Ranked-choice voting could soon become the default for Arlington County Board primaries in Arlington.
This weekend, the County Board is set to approve the voting method, in which residents rank candidates in order of preference. If approved, next year — when one County Board seat is up for grabs — participants in the June primary will fight to secure a 51% threshold to secure a nomination.
Voters got a taste of the voting method during the County Board primary this June, which featured a full slate of candidates jockeying for one of two nominations from Arlington Democrats. The nominees, Susan Cunningham and Maureen Coffey, were the first to secure 34% thresholds after six run-off rounds that eliminated bottom vote-getters.
In an election seen as a referendum on the Missing Middle zoning policies, local elections buffs pointed to the results as proof ranked-choice voting, or RCV, could better reflect a divided electorate, with Cunningham more opposed to it than Coffey, though both had criticism of its roll-out. Both women went on to win their campaigns this November and will be sworn in next month.
Still, County Board members were not totally on board. A month after the primary, after praising Arlington’s Dept. of Elections for how it handled the roll-out, Board members punted on adopting it for the general election. They expressed concerns about how votes are counted when two seats are up and the quality of outreach to voters about the new system, particularly people of color, renters and young people.
The County Board ultimately decided to adopt ranked-choice voting for County Board primaries only. This was an unpopular opinion among the 2,278 people who shared their thoughts on RCV with the county.
Only 7% said it should be reserved for primaries, compared to 47% who said it should be implemented in every election and 32% who said no elections should use the method.
Overall, most county survey respondents — about 70% — said their experience with RCV was either “positive,” “exceptional” or “fair,” while 29% said it was “negative.” About 75% reported having heard about it and being familiar with how it worked, and those who did report familiarity overwhelmingly said they learned about it through the news.
(An unscientific ARLnow poll found that 75% of readers reported not being confused by RCV.)
Making the change will cost $2 million, as the county intends to buy new ballot machines that allow voters to rank more than the three choices they can rank today. The current machines will be used in the the June 2024 County Board primary but will be switched out in the 2025 fiscal year.
Should the County Board decide to use ranked-choice voting for a general election, it must formally adopt its use at least 90 days before the election.
(Updated at 2:50 p.m.) Arlington School Board Chair Cristina Diaz-Torres will not be seeking re-election.
Diaz-Torres, who became chair this July, announced the decision last night (Wednesday) at the Arlington County Democratic Committee meeting, to a chorus of dismay from some meeting attendees.
Her term on the School Board ends on Dec. 31, 2024. She is the second sitting member to announce this year a decision not to seek reelection, following Reid Goldstein, whose term ends this month.
Diaz-Torres ran in 2020, securing the endorsement of Arlington Democrats in June and a place on the School Board that November.
She was sworn in on Jan. 1, 2021, amid “truly wild uncertainty,” when schools were still shut down and a vaccine was not yet widely available, she told local Democrats.
“Just three years later, our world looks a lot brighter,” she said, per a recording of her speech she posted on social media.
“As a part of this job, I spend a lot of time talking to staff, especially school leaders, and the sentiment I hear over and over again is how different this year feels,” she continued. “It’s not a return to the before times we were all longing for, but to the after times: something new, something different, something that we were longing for all those months.”
Diaz-Torres reflected on several changes APS made during her tenure — many of which garnered applause from meeting attendees — and credited staff, Superintendent Francisco Durán and his cabinet and the School Board for this work.
The school system changed its approach to reading instruction, one she says has narrowed Arlington’s achievement gap and identified more students for extra help, she said.
She added that the School Board removed School Resource Officers from school grounds, reintroduced collective bargaining for employees and increased teacher compensation across pay scales.
“I am proud of the initiatives we have undertaken, I am proud of the policies we have implemented, and I am proud of the positive changes we have brought to our schools,” she said on social media. “We have strived to create an APS that serves ALL students by name, strength, and need.”
That work must continue, her statement continued, but under new leadership.
“This chapter will forever hold a special place in my heart and will be among the most significant and impactful work I’ve ever done,” she said. “This next chapter will look a little different but I look forward to bearing witness to the continued success of @APSVirginia.”
Her next chapter includes taking on the role of being “mom to a future APS grad in the class of 2042,” she told Democrats. The outgoing School Board chair announced her pregnancy on social media last month.
Happy Thanksgiving, from our growing family to yours! 🍁👶🏾 pic.twitter.com/pfFevKeH1c
— Cristina Diaz-Torres (@cdiaztorres240) November 23, 2023
Two women have already announced they are vying for the Arlington County Board seat currently occupied by Vice-Chair Libby Garvey, who faces re-election next year.
First-time candidate Julie Farnam and second-time candidate Natalie Roy announced today (Monday) that they have joined the Democratic primary race, set to culminate next June.
Meanwhile, both Garvey and former County Board candidate Julius “JD” Spain, Sr. tell ARLnow they are biding their time before making a decision about whether to run next year.
Farnam and Roy’s announcements come less than a month after voters picked Susan Cunningham and Maureen Coffey to replace outgoing Board Chair Christian Dorsey and former member Katie Cristol.
Farnam, a current Arlington Ridge Civic Association board member, is campaigning on a platform of improving public safety and taking what she calls a “smart” approach to planning and growth.
“I am proud and excited to announce my candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Arlington County Board,” Farnam said in a statement. “I believe in a community where residents feel safe, where the needs of our community are placed above the desires of developers, and where no resident must wonder if they are being heard.”
Farnam has held leadership positions in both the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security and the U.S. Capitol Police and has a forthcoming book on her account of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
“As a woman who has spent her career in security and law enforcement, I know what it takes to address the unique safety challenges Arlington faces in years and decades ahead,” she said.
On social media, she has decried the Arlington County Board’s “dreadful” handling of the Missing Middle zoning ordinances, calling for more targeted policies to address affordability and racial inequities.
She has also waded into the local discourse about whether crime is rising, pointing to carjacking stats for proof it is on the rise. Farnam also criticized the County Board for spending money on new Metro entrances, saying it should instead direct more to police.
More from her statement:
I am a small business owner and a single mother of students in Arlington. I know just how difficult it is to afford to live and support a family in Arlington, and what needs to be done to ensure Arlington is a place where people of diverse backgrounds can thrive. I am running to ensure our community flourishes into the future for my daughters and for generations to come.
Reprising similar campaign messaging from this year, Roy and Farnam highlight transparency as a key campaign issue.
“I strongly believe that the Arlington County Board needs a voice like mine advocating for more transparency and responsiveness,” Roy said in a statement.
During the 2023 Democratic primary, Roy ran a targeted County Board campaign focused on criticizing the Missing Middle ordinances, which allowed 2-6 unit homes to be built in districts once zoned exclusively for single-family homes.
The ordinances gave rise to community and candidate discussions about transparency this election cycle, whether candidates relitigated the zoning changes or criticized how the county fulfills Freedom of Information Act requests and publishes information.
As for potential competition Farnam and Roy face, ARLnow asked Vice-Chair Garvey and former County Board candidate Spain about their plans.
Garvey said she is “planning to decide by January or early February whether I will run again.”
Spain told ARLnow that he is undecided at this time.
Farnam will be holding a campaign kick-off event next Monday at The Freshman (2011 Crystal Drive) at 6:30 p.m. Other forthcoming events, including one held in English and Arabic, are posted on her website.
Roy will host a pre-holiday campaign launch the day before, on Sunday, from 4-6 p.m., with more details forthcoming.
Photo 1 via Julie Farnam/Facebook
Arlington’s two state Senators have landed key leadership roles after Democrats won control of the General Assembly last week.
State Sen. Barbara Favola will continue as Majority Whip, sharing her duties with Richmond’s Sen. Lamont Bagby, according to a Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus press release. Sen. Scott Surovell, who will represent southeastern Fairfax County, is set to become the majority leader.
“I am looking forward to working with the Democratic Leadership team and all of my colleagues on issues important to the Commonwealth,” Favola said in the release. “We have a diverse and talented team of newly elected Senators who will bring fresh perspectives to the challenges facing the Commonwealth. I am confident that our Democratic team will deliver common-sense solutions that actually improves people’s lives.”
State Sen. Adam Ebbin, meanwhile, will take on the role of Vice Chair, previously held by Surovell.
“I look forward to working with my Senate Democratic colleagues to find solutions for the betterment of all Virginians. I am ready and excited to get to work,” he said in a statement.
Favola and Ebbin secured resounding victories in their districts, the new 40th and 39th districts, respectively, each earning more than 75% of the vote against their Republican opponents. Arlington Democratic candidates to the House of Delegates — incumbents Alfonso Lopez and Patrick Hope and first-time candidate Adele McClure — also won their races handily.
Not only were Democrats able to hold their majority in the 40-member Senate, securing 21 seats, but they also flipped the 100-member House of Delegates with a narrow majority, taking 51 seats.
Local political experts and officials say that the party’s victory and high voter turnout were driven in part by concerns about Gov. Glenn Youngkin and his Republican party’s support for a 15-week abortion ban, while races were more competitive due to redistricting.
The updated Democratic leadership list is below.
- Sen. Scott Surovell, majority leader
- Sen. Mamie Locke, caucus chair
- Sen. Adam Ebbin, vice chair
- Sen. Aaron Rouse, secretary
- Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, treasurer
- Sen. Barbara Favola, whip
- Sen. Lamont Bagby, whip