Arlington County Board Candidates to Square Off Next Monday in Debate

The candidates vying for the Arlington County Board seat, John Vihstadt, Independent, and Alan Howze (D), will square off in a live debate on Monday, Sept. 29, at George Mason University’s Arlington Campus in the Founders Hall Auditorium.

Vihstadt became a county board member in April when he won a special election against Howze and two other candidates, with 57 percent of the vote; Howze took 41 percent of the vote. Vihstadt has been vocal about what he sees as wasted spending on the Columbia Pike streetcar proposal, Long Bridge Aquatics Center and more.

Organizers of Monday’s debate say the event is an opportunity for voters to hear the candidates in a moderated question-and-answer format addressing a wide range of issues impacting Arlington County.

Also see on Arlington County Web site: Absentee Voting Has Begun

George Mason’s School of Policy, Government, and International Affairs (SPGIA) and State and Local Government Leadership Center are hosting the debate. Greg Hamilton, publisher, president and co-founder of Arlington Magazine, will moderate the debate.

A segment of the debate will be devoted to questions from the public including pre-submitted questions and questions collected at the event. Interested individuals are invited to email questions they would like to have the candidates address – or issues they would like the moderator to ask during the debate. Emails should be sent to Frank Shafroth, director of Mason’s State and Local Government Leadership Center at fshafrot@gmu.edu.

The event is free and open to the public but seating is limited and online registration is requested at this link. For those wishing to attend who do not have email access, please contact Barb Hill at 703-993-3179. Doors will open to the public at 6 p.m.

PHOTO: Candidates John Vihstadat, Independent and Alan Howze, Democrat