Voter Guide
The Fairfax County Democratic Committee is using ranked choice voting to nominate its candidate for Braddock District Supervisor. This page addresses common questions about the election. More information can be found at fairfaxdemocrats.org.
When is the election?
Voter registration is now closed. Voters who registered to vote in-person on Saturday, October 4 must submit their ballots online by 7 pm on Sunday, October 5. Voters with questions about submitting their ballot can call (703) 573-6811 and visit fairfaxdemocrats.org to learn more.
Who are the candidates?
There are four candidates running for the Democratic nomination: Ilryong Moon, Rachna Sizemore Heizer, Sabrina Mattin, and April Pavis-Shroeder. Voters can rank all four candidates on their ballot: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th choice.
The winner will face Republican Ken Balbuena in the special election on December 9. There are no other offices on the ballot in this election.
What will the ballot look like?
This election uses ranked choice voting. Voters can rank the four candidates in the order that you like them: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. Use the drop down menus to select one rank for each candidate.
- Use each ranking once. If you like more than one candidate, mark your favorite candidate 1st and use the other rankings for the other candidates.
- You don't have to rank all the candidates, but it's a good idea. Ranking all the candidates ensures your vote will be used to determine the winner, even if your favorite candidate doesn't win.
The ballot pictured here is an illustration based on ElectionBuddy's sample ballot.
How are the ballots counted?
In a ranked choice election with one winner, the winner has to earn a majority of votes.
- The first-choice votes are counted in Round 1. If a candidate earns a majority of first-choice votes, the race is over. For example, in Arlington's last County Board election, the winning candidate earned 58% of Round 1 votes, so no more rounds were needed to determine the winner.
- If no candidate earns a majority of the first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their supporters' votes transfer to their next choice. The elimination continues round by round until one of the candidates earns majority support. In the June 2024 Democratic primary for Arlington County Board, the winner defeated four other candidates with 54% of the final round votes. The results from that election are pictured here.
When will results be released?
The Committee announced the election results after polls closed on Sunday, October 5 at 7 pm. Rachna Sizemore Heizer won the nomination with 60% of first-choice votes.
Why is this election using ranked choice?
Ranked choice voting ensures the winner earns broad support from the electorate — no matter how many candidates run — and voters can express their honest views about all the candidates. If your favorite candidate doesn't win, your vote can still be included in the final round that determines the winner.
The Fairfax County Democratic Committee can use ranked choice voting (RCV) in this primary because the committee is administering the election itself due to an off-cycle vacancy in the Braddock District seat. Under Virginia state law, the Fairfax County Board can choose to allow RCV in other County-run elections, too, but the Board hasn't exercised that option yet.
If you support bringing RCV to more Fairfax elections, sign the petition to tell the Fairfax County Board that you're ready for ranked choice voting.
Where else is ranked choice voting used?
Arlington has used ranked choice voting to elect its County Board since 2023, and Charlottesville held its first ranked choice election for City Council in June. Outside Virginia, ranked choice voting is used statewide in Maine and Alaska and at the local level in more than 50 U.S. cities and counties.
