The familiar political conflict of experience and new blood dominated a debate between Democratic contenders for the 1st District House of Delegates seat.
Incumbent Del. Patrick Hope worked to fend off criticisms by challenger Arjoon Srikanth in the Tuesday (May 13) forum, sponsored by the Arlington County Civic Federation.
A second independent has qualified to be on the County Board ballot in November, guaranteeing that the election again will be run under the still controversial ranked-choice format.
Jeramy Olmack has successfully filed paperwork to be on the Nov. 4 County Board ballot, election officials have confirmed to ARLnow.
Monique “Moe” Bryant defeated June Prakash in the Arlington County Democratic Committee caucus, moving on to the Nov. 4 general election.
Bryant, executive director of Challenging Racism, won 1,288 votes (69%) to 582 for Prakash, president of the Arlington Education Association.
Debate over housing and urbanization once again took center stage as candidates for the Democratic County Board nomination squared off at a forum last week.
Current County Board Chair Takis Karantonis met his sole challenger, James DeVita, at an Arlington County Democratic Committee meeting that attracted about 150 people on Wednesday.
County Board Chair Takis Karantonis has picked up the support of three of his four colleagues as he seeks to beat back a primary challenge.
The Karantonis campaign last week announced it had received endorsements from County Board members Matt de Ferranti, Maureen Coffey and JD Spain, Sr. Also announced as supporters were School Board members Mary Kadera and Zuraya Tapia-Hadley, and several environmental and labor organizations.
The president of the Arlington Education Association says she will give up the position if elected to the School Board.
“Would I step down if elected? Yes, I would,” June Prakash said when questioned on her plans by Arlington NAACP education chair Tia Alfred at the civil-rights organization’s online candidate forum earlier this week.
While election officials in Arlington and Falls Church are not expecting an early rush to vote in the Democratic primary, they’re ready for those who do come.
Arlington elections director Gretchen Reinemeyer told ARLnow she expects a relatively modest first-day turnout when early voting begins on Friday.
Arlington’s superintendent earns passing grades from the two Democratic candidates vying for a post on the School Board.
At an online candidate forum hosted by the Arlington NAACP, Monique “Moe” Bryant and June Prakash voiced support for Superintendent Francisco Durán but challenged other aspects of Arlington Public Schools leadership.
The race for four seats on the Falls Church City Council is underway.
Incumbents Laura Downs and David Snyder have already qualified for the Nov. 4 ballot. Several other aspirants, including incumbent Marybeth Connelly, have started the process of qualifying, city elections director David Bjerke told ARLnow.
A developer hoping to bring casino gambling to Northern Virginia has contributed $15,000 to two of Arlington’s state delegates.
Incumbent Del. Patrick Hope (D-1) on March 26 received a $10,000 campaign contribution from Reston-based Comstock Hospitality Holdings, which for the past two years has worked to secure General Assembly approval to allow for a casino in Tysons.
The two candidates vying for the Democratic School Board endorsement in Arlington say school leaders must do better in listening and acting on community input.
“Conversations need to be happening with staff, students and community,” said June Prakash, who is competing with Monique “Moe” Bryant for the seat being vacated by Board member Mary Kadera.
At least for the time being, a new executive order on election matters is unlikely to impact Arlington.
Virginia “already does” many of the things included in the executive order that President Donald Trump signed on March 25, county registrar Gretchen Reinemeyer said.
