Is 2025 the year Falls Church follows neighboring Arlington in enacting ranked-choice voting to elect its governing body?
It’s a question that will be answered in coming months by the seven-member City Council, whose members will have to address both logistical and philosophical issues before coming to a decision and setting the timetable.
By OLIVIA DIAZ Associated Press/Report for America
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Democrats who control both chambers of the Virginia legislature are hoping to make good on promises made on the campaign trail, including becoming the first Southern state to expand constitutional protections for abortion access.
A combination of venting, defiance, group therapy and gearing up for future battles.
That’s how Arlington Democrats were coping Wednesday night (Nov. 6), just 24 hours the night after the party’s devastating losses at the national level.
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.
Arlington and Falls Church residents went to the polls today to vote for president, local offices and everything in between.
As of 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, the results show — unsurprisingly — strong support for Democratic candidates across the ballot.
Arlington County Board
In the big local Arlington race for County Board, JD Spain, Sr. will win the seat being vacated by three-term Democrat Libby Garvey.
With early votes now in and breaking 60% for the Democratic nominee, Spain has 58% of the vote to 16% for Republican Juan Carlos Fierro and 12% for independent Audrey Clement. Madison Granger, who is associated with the Forward Party, has 13% of the vote.
In 2020, Garvey defeated a lone challenger — Clement — with 71% of the vote.
Voting in the Arlington County Board general election is being conducted this year, for the first time, via ranked choice voting. But if a candidate gets over 50% of the “first choice” votes — as Spain appears poised to do with only mail-in ballots outstanding — they will be declared the winner and ranked choice tabulation will not be used.
Arlington School Board
In the Arlington School Board race, Democratic-endorsed candidates Kathleen Clark and Zuraya Tapia-Hadley will cruise to victory.
Clark and Tapia-Hadley have 35.6% and 32.8% of the vote, respectively, so far. James Vell Rives, endorsed by the Forward Party, has 14.2% of the vote while independent Paul Weiss has 16.0%.
Arlington Bond Referenda
All five proposed local bonds, including school and Metro bonds, will pass — currently leading by 3-to-1 or 4-to-1.
Falls Church City Council
In the special election for Falls Church City Council Laura Downs has won with 58% of the vote to 41% for John Murphy, and all precincts reporting.
U.S. President
The Democratic Harris/Walz presidential ticket has a substantial lead over the Trump/Vance GOP ticket: 76.2% to 20.7% in Arlington — with all precincts reporting but mail-in ballots outstanding — and 79.5% to 17.9% in Falls Church.
By comparison, Trump received 17.1% of the vote in Arlington in 2020.
Third party candidates — including Jill Stein (G), Chase Oliver (L) and Cornel West (I) — have roughly 2% of the Arlington vote, while 1% of voters wrote someone in for president.
Statewide, Harris currently has 50.4% to 47.4% for Trump. Local political consultant Ben Tribbett, who often projects election night results in Virginia, says he believes Harris has won the Commonwealth.
8:45 PM PROJECTION: KAMALA HARRIS (D) HAS WON VIRGINIA AND 13 ELECTORAL VOTES.
— Ben Tribbett (@notlarrysabato) November 6, 2024
U.S. Senate
Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine currently leads statewide with 53.1% of the vote to 46.7% for Republican challenger Hung Cao.
The Associated Press called the race for Kaine around 11:20 p.m.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine won reelection in Virginia for his third term Tuesday, beating Republican challenger Hung Cao. Kaine was widely expected to keep his role as the Commonwealth’s junior senator. Political scientists said there was only a narrow path to victory for Cao given Virginia’s moderate electorate, aversion to Trump in 2020 and Kaine’s salience with voters. Cao is a 25-year Navy veteran who had former President Donald Trump’s endorsement. But the most recent Republican to hold a Senate seat from Virginia was the late John Warner, a centrist who last won in 2002. The Associated Press declared Kaine the winner at 11:22 p.m.
U.S. Representative
Across Virginia’s 8th Congressional District — which includes Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church and parts of Fairfax County — incumbent Rep. Don Beyer (D) has 70.9% of the vote to 25.6% for Republican challenger Jerry Torres and just over 3% collectively for independents David Kennedy and Bentley Hensel.
The Associated Press called the race for Beyer shortly before 8:15 p.m.
Democratic Rep. Don Beyer won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing Virginia on Tuesday. Beyer won his sixth term after defeating Republican Jerry Torres and two independent candidates. Beyer, a former lieutenant governor and ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, won each of his five previous congressional elections with at least 63% of the vote. The 8th District includes the inner suburbs of the nation’s capital, including Arlington County and Alexandria, and is one of Virginia’s most reliably Democratic districts. The Associated Press declared Beyer the winner at 8:13 p.m.
Turnout
Overall turnout in Arlington was above 70% as of 5 p.m., according to the county elections office. The final turnout may reach around 80%, but is not expected to set a local record.
Despite significant interest in the presidential race, voting in Arlington mostly went smoothly today, with most reports suggesting minimal wait times. Among the issues reported today are some confusion about ranked choice voting and an evening fire alarm at the Crystal Plaza polling location.
Scott McCaffrey contributed to this report
It might not be a record-breaker, but Arlington ballots are adding up as the last three hours of voting approach.
And when all is said and done, turnout may be around 80% of the county’s 161,000 active registered voters.
About 10% of Arlington voters have cast ballots today, as of 9 a.m., as Election Day got off to a relatively smooth start.
Arlington County Director of Elections Gretchen Reinemeyer said there have been no significant delays or reports of any major confrontations at the local polls so far.
The four Arlington County Board contenders now making their final pitches to voters are each positioning themselves as agents of change.
But coming at it from different angles.
The eyes of Virginia soon will be upon Arlington.
At least for those eager to know how the county’s first-in-the-Commonwealth ranked-choice-voting (RCV) general election transpired.
By MARK SHERMAN Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court’s conservative majority on Wednesday allowed Virginia to resume its purge of voter registrations that the state says is aimed at stopping people who are not U.S. citizens from voting.
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.
By MATTHEW BARAKAT and MARK SHERMAN Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Virginia on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene to allow the state to remove roughly 1,600 voters from its rolls that it believes are noncitizens.
