Early voting begins in Virginia 11th District special election for Connolly's seat
Early voting begins in Virginia 11th District special election for Connolly's seat
Democrats begin voting Tuesday in Virginia's 11th Congressional District to choose a replacement candidate for the seat once held by the late Rep. Gerry Connolly.
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. - Democrats begin voting Tuesday in Virginia's 11th Congressional District to choose a replacement candidate for the seat once held by the late Rep. Gerry Connolly.
Representative Gerry Connolly, a Democrat from Virginia, speaks during a House Oversight and Accountability Committee business meeting in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. The committee chairman is planning for legislation to ensure pres
What we know:
Ten Democrats are running in the special election primary:
- Amy Roma
- Irene Shin
- Stella G. Pekarsky
- Leo J. Martinez Nucete
- James R. Walkinshaw
- Candice Bennett
- Amy Papanu
- Dan Lee
- Dr. Priya Punnoose
- Ross William Branstetter IV
Fairfax Supervisor James Walkinshaw – who was endorsed by Connolly before he died – and State Senator Stella Pekarsky appear to be the leading candidates as voting gets underway.
The Democratic nominee will face a Republican candidate and any Independent candidates in a special election on Sept. 9.
How to vote
Early voting is from June 24 to June 28 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Fairfax County Government Center.
A one-day "firehouse primary" is on Saturday, June 28, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 17 locations around the 11th District.
What is a firehouse primary?
A firehouse primary is a "party-organized nomination event," according to Fairfax County. The political party, and not public election officials, sets its own rules, locations and hours.
Dig deeper:
Special elections in Virginia must be held on Tuesdays and cannot be held less than 55 days before a primary or general election, according to state law. With Virginia electing a new governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general on Nov. 4, Gov. Glenn Youngkin chose the latest possible Tuesday for the special election within the allotted timeframe.