Voter Guide
On Saturday, October 4, the Fairfax County Democratic Committee will use 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?
Online voting will be open from Thursday, October 2 at 12 pm to Saturday, October 4 at 5 pm. If you wish to vote online, you must register in advance by Wednesday, October 1 at 5 PM.
In-person voting is also available at three locations on Saturday, October 4 from 9 am to 5 pm. Learn more about where and when to vote.
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 expected on December 9. There are no other offices on the ballot in this election.
What will the ballot look like?
In a ranked choice election, you 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.
- You can only use each ranking once. If there are two candidates you really like, mark your favorite candidate 1st and the one you like next 2nd.
- 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 1st-choice votes are counted in Round 1. If a candidate earns a majority of 1st-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 1st-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?
Preliminary results will be announced after polls close on October 4 at 5 pm. Final, certified results will be released shortly thereafter. Results will be emailed directly to all participating voters.
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.
