voting | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published November 2, 2021 at 7:30AM

The Rosslyn skyline and Arlington National Cemetery (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Voting Getting Underway — It’s Election Day. Polling places in Arlington are open from 6 a.m.-7 p.m. today. The statewide race for governor is dominating headlines, but here in Arlington there are local races for County Board, School Board and Virginia House of Delegates, plus bond referenda.

Three-Day Week for Students — “It’ll be a three-day work week, so to speak, for Arlington students this week. Classrooms will be closed on Nov. 2 for Election Day, and on Nov. 4, the school system will for the first time celebrate Diwali – a Hindu festival of lights – by taking the day off.” [Sun Gazette]

News

Arlington voters outpacing N. Va. and state ahead of Election Day

By David Taube

Published October 28, 2021 at 9:30AM

Early voters check in at Madison Community Center on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021 (Staff photo by David Taube)

In the first gubernatorial race since Virginia implemented an array of voting reforms, one thing remains the same: early voter turnout in Arlington continues to surpass regional and state levels.

It’s a trend that Arlington’s general registrar and election director Gretchen Reinemeyer says she has seen since she started working with the county in 2008 as a seasonal employee with the Voting and Elections Office.

News

Ranked-Choice Voting, Redistricting Could Change Next Year’s Ballots

By Jo DeVoe

Published October 7, 2021 at 11:45AM

Elections in Arlington County could change dramatically in the coming years.

First, County Board members are considering whether to do away with first-past-the-post voting for their seats and replace it with ranked-choice voting (RCV). And second, a 16-person bipartisan commission is redrawing boundaries for Virginia’s congressional, state Senate and House of Delegates districts, replacing the former redistricting process led by the state legislature.

News

County Board Candidates Talk Ranked-Choice Voting, Housing and Sustainability

By Jo DeVoe

Published September 9, 2021 at 3:55PM | Updated October 17, 2022 at 11:26AM

A screenshot of the four candidates for the County Board (via Arlington Committee of 100/Facebook)

Ranked-choice voting is supported by all four candidates for County Board, according to their comments at an Arlington Committee of 100 candidate forum held last night (Wednesday).

The event was the first candidate forum of the fall general election season.

News

County to Test Ranked-Choice Voting in Mock Election Tomorrow

By Anuj Khemka

Published August 2, 2021 at 11:05AM

Voting on June 8, 2021 at the Walter Reed Community Center (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington County will hold a mock election tomorrow (Tuesday) to test out ranked-choice voting.

Voting will be open to the public from 2-4 p.m at the Ellen M. Bozman Government Center (2100 Clarendon Blvd). Those interested can then attend a second session from 5 -7 p.m to witness the process by which the ballots are counted.

News

Low Turnout So Far in Democratic Primary

By ARLnow.com

Published June 8, 2021 at 10:45AM | Updated June 8, 2021 at 12:05PM

Voting on June 8, 2021 at the Walter Reed Community Center (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at noon) After relatively robust early voting, day-of voting in today’s Democratic primary in Arlington is off to a very slow start.

As of 9 a.m., only about 0.5% of active local voters cast ballots during the first three hours of voting this morning, according to the county elections office.

News

Polls Open Tomorrow in Arlington for Democratic Primary

By Jo DeVoe

Published June 7, 2021 at 3:55PM | Updated June 7, 2021 at 5:39PM

Gubernatorial candidate Jennifer Carroll Foy canvassing in Arlington with Higher Heights, which is dedicated to electing progressive Black women (Photo courtesy Jennifer Carroll Foy)

(Updated 5:40 p.m.) Arlington has seen significantly higher early voting turnout than usual, ahead of the Democratic primary tomorrow.

Neighborhood polling places will be open Tuesday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. for those who have not voted early or absentee. Voters will see a full slate of Democratic candidates for local and state elections. Primary winners will face non-Democratic candidates in November.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published June 2, 2021 at 7:30AM

Ultimate frisbee being played near Washington-Liberty High School (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Car Chase Speeds Through Arlington — “Virginia State Police just chased a U-Haul pickup truck from Arlington into Alexandria on Mt. Vernon Ave, then back into Arlington and finally into D.C. via I-395.” [Twitter, Twitter, ALXnow]

Masks Not Required at Polling Places — “Those headed to vote in the June 8 Democratic primary in Arlington will have to make their own choices about mask-wearing. State election officials this time have not provided local elections offices with specific guidance on masks, although Arlington election officials have issued a request. ‘Several polling places are in schools with mask requirements, so we are still encouraging voters to wear masks, and will have them available for voters who forget one,’ county election chief Gretchen Reinemeyer told the Sun Gazette.” [Sun Gazette]

News

Civic Federation Mulls Possible Reforms to Arlington Government, Elections

By David Taube

Published May 27, 2021 at 11:30AM

Arlington County’s form of government has largely stayed the same since 1930. Now, a local civic organization is inviting Arlingtonians to consider possible reforms.

The Arlington County Civic Federation, a nonprofit that provides a forum for about 90 civic groups to discuss community topics, is holding a series of Zoom meetings to discuss reforms, from changing the number of County Board members and their term limits to moving to ward-based Board representation to using ranked-choice voting.

Schools

Mary Kadera Captures Democratic School Board Endorsement

By Jo DeVoe

Published May 25, 2021 at 10:30AM

School Board candidates Mary Kadera (left) and Miranda Turner (right)

Mary Kadera has received the endorsement of the Arlington County Democratic Committee, following a caucus that was conducted online for the first time.

Kadera, the vice president of the Arlington County Council of PTAs, will now advance to the Nov. 2 general election to determine who will fill a seat currently held by School Board Chair Monique O’Grady. The chair announced in January that she will not seek re-election.

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published April 26, 2021 at 5:00AM

Vote By Mail in June Primary — From Arlington’s elections office: “More than 3,900 mail ballots for the June 8 Democratic Primary are on their way.. Deadline to request a mail ballot: May 28 @ 5 p.m.” [Twitter]

Restaurants Cited For Covid Violations — “Twenty-nine Arlington restaurants were cited for violating Gov. Ralph Northam’s COVID-19 restrictions between Jan. 1 and April 4 of this year, according to data obtained exclusively by Patch from Arlington County Public Health.” [Patch]

News

Arlington Dems to Add Electronic Voting to School Board Caucus

By Jo DeVoe

Published March 31, 2021 at 11:45AM | Updated March 31, 2021 at 2:44PM

School Board candidates Mary Kadera (left) and Miranda Turner (right)

This year, local Democrats can cast a ballot electronically from home for the upcoming Arlington County Democratic Committee School Board endorsement caucus.

From Monday, May 17 through Sunday, May 23, registered voters will be able to vote for one of two Democratic school board candidates securely from their computers, tablets or smartphones. Arlington Dems will provide assistance over the phone and two days of in-person voting help as well.