De Ferranti Wins: Arlington County Board Primary

UPDATE: De Ferranti has reportedly won the primary over 60-39 percent.

ARLINGTON, VA -- Two Democrats are vying to unseat an independent incumbent on the Arlington County Board this fall, and Arlington residents will go to the polls to choose between them. Here's everything you need to know.

Polling hours in Arlington County: 6 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday, June 12.

Where to vote: Find your polling station on the Arlington County website.

THE INCUMBENT

John Vihstadt, a Republican-turned-independent who won a special election in 2014, and then won a four-year term a few months later in the general election, making him the first person in a decade and a half to win a spot on the Arlington County Board who wasn't a Democrat.

His pitch: Brings "balance" to the board by not being a Democrat. A long-time civic leader with 30 years of involvement in local schools and neighborhoods.

Background/experience (from his website): "His leadership and experience as president of his neighborhood civic association, on the Arlington County Civic Federation Board, as president of the Yorktown High School PTA and Co-Chair of a School Bond campaign, on the Board of the non-profit Community Residences, Inc. for the developmentally disabled, and on the Housing, Aging and Planning Commissions, all allowed him to hit the ground running and build a record of accomplishment on the County Board from his first months of service."

Learn more about Vihstadt's stance on the issues at his website.

THE CHALLENGERS

Democrats Matt de Ferranti and Chanda Choun.

De Ferranti's pitch: Experience in the issues facing Arlington. His priorities are increasing economic opportunity, improving housing affordability, and addressing school capacity.

Background/experience (from his website): "Matt moved from D.C. to Arlington in 2013, settling in Courthouse, where he has continued to focus on economic opportunity and service. He joined the County’s Housing Commission in 2013 and Arlington Public Schools Budget Advisory Council in 2014. He is a 2015 Leadership Arlington Graduate, a 2016 graduate of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership, and a 2017 graduate of Arlington Neighborhood College.. He also serves on the Joint Facilities Advisory Board, which brings Arlington County, Arlington Public Schools, and the community together to plan for our future."

Learn more about de Ferranti's stance on the issues at his website.

Choun's pitch: Being a "new face, a different voice" on the County Board, according to a Washington Post report. He touts his background as a refugee immigrant from Cambodia.

Background/experience (from his website): "After multiple attempts at relocating to Northern Virginia since 2012, I finally received the job offer I was waiting for to move to Arlington County in 2015 and work at the US Department of State’s Office of Cybersecurity in the bustling urban Rosslyn neighborhood. In 2016, a tech company recruited me to be their senior business manager and engineering leader for the National Capital Region. I occasionally travel for work, but majority of time work from my home office in Arlington."

Learn more about Choun's stance on the issues at his website.

Image: Arlington County Board Member John Vihstadt, via the Arlington County Board