Fairfax Democrats Using Ranked Choice Voting in Braddock District Primary
Four candidates compete for supervisor nomination in October 4 election
Fairfax, VA — Four candidates are vying for the Democratic nomination to fill the open seat on Fairfax County's Board of Supervisors. The Braddock District seat was vacated earlier this month by James Walkinshaw, who resigned after winning the special election for Virginia's 11th Congressional District on September 9. The Fairfax County Democratic Committee announced that the party will be using ranked choice voting in its firehouse primary on October 4 to ensure the nominee earns majority support from the electorate.
The Candidates
The Democratic field includes two current Fairfax County School Board members: Ilryong Moon (At-Large) and Rachna Sizemore Heizer (Braddock). Also seeking the nomination are Sabrina Mattin, co-president of the Fairfax Young Democrats, and April Pavis-Shroeder, a librarian and Ravensworth Farm resident.
How Ranked Choice Voting Works
In a ranked choice election, voters don't just vote for one candidate. They get to rank the candidates in order of preference: first choice, second choice, third choice and fourth. The ballots are then counted in rounds to identify the winner with broadest appeal.
If one candidate earns a majority of the first-choice votes, that candidate wins the election. But if no candidate earns at least half the first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their supporters' votes transfer to their next choice. The elimination continues each round until a winner emerges with majority support.
The ranked choice process allows voters to express how they feel about all the options without fear of wasting their vote on a candidate who turns out to be unpopular. If a voter's favorite candidate can't win, that voter can still help pick the winner with their backup choices. In the process, candidates get rewarded for engaging with all the voters to earn second and third-choice votes from people who might not rank them first, and the party gets a consensus nominee with broad support heading into the general election.
Ranked choice voting is growing in use across Virginia and around the country. In 2023, Arlington became the first county in Virginia to use ranked choice voting in its County Board elections, and Charlottesville used RCV for its City Council primary earlier this year. Virginia Republicans also used ranked choice voting in their statewide convention that nominated Governor Glenn Youngkin in 2021. Nationwide, more than 50 other cities use RCV at the local level, including New York City, Minneapolis, Santa Fe, and Salt Lake City. Maine and Alaska use RCV in state and federal elections, too.
How to Vote
Democratic voters in the Braddock District can vote online or in person.
To vote online, voters must pre-register between Saturday, September 27 and Wednesday, October 1 at fairfaxdemocrats.org/braddock. Registered voters will receive their online ballot links via email on October 2 and can vote through 5 PM on October 4.
In-person voting is available on October 4 from 9 AM to 5 PM at three locations: the Fairfax County Government Center, Braddock District Supervisor's Office, and the Landings Community Center in Burke.
All voters must provide a photo ID and sign a pledge affirming they will support the Democratic nominee in the general election on December 9.
What's Next
The Democratic primary winner will face Republican Ken Balbuena in the December 9 special election. Balbuena was the only Republican candidate to enter the race, so the party will not be holding its own primary. Balbuena is a civic association president from North Springfield with endorsements from local Republican leaders including former Braddock District Supervisor John C. Cook.
The winner of the December special election will serve through 2027, when all 10 seats on the Fairfax County Board are next up for election.
