Voter Guide For 2 Primary Elections In Falls Church; 1 Polling Place Changes

FALLS CHURCH, VA — June 20, 2023 is the day for the primary election in Virginia. In Falls Church, there are two primary elections: Virginia State Senate District 37 and Commonwealth's Attorney for Arlington County and City of Falls Church. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Because of mandated redistricting that happened after the 2020 Census, Virginia's legislative district maps have been redrawn. The City of Falls Church is now in the 13th House of Delegates District and 37th Senate District.

Candidates

While Del. Marcus Simon does not face a Democratic primary in the 13th House of Delegates race, there will be a primary for the Senate district. State Sen. Chap Petersen, who represents the 34th Senate District, is running in the new 37th Senate District. This district includes the City of Falls Church and parts of Vienna, Oakton, Fairfax City, Tysons, Idylwood, Pimmit Hills, Merrifield and Dunn Loring. Petersen faces Saddam Salim in the Democratic primary.

The other primary is for Commonwealth's Attorney, the elected prosecutor in Arlington County and City of Falls Church court. Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, a progressive who ousted former prosecutor Theo Stamos, faces a primary challenge from Josh Katcher. Katcher formerly worked for Dehghani-Tafti in the Commonwealth's Attorney's office but resigned in 2022.

The Nov. 7, 2023 general election will feature more races, including Virginia State Senate District 37, House of Delegates District 13, three seats on Falls Church City Council, three seats on Falls Church School Board, Commonwealth's Attorney for Arlington County and City of Falls Church and Clerk of the Court for Arlington County and City of Falls Church.

How to Vote Early

In-person early voting will be held at City Hall, 300 Park Ave, Falls Church, VA, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Voters over age 65 or with physical limitations can request curbside voting outside City Hall by calling the elections office at 703-248-5085 (TTY 711) upon arrival or in advance to make an appointment.

The deadline for early in-person voting is 5 p.m. on June 17.

Another option is requesting a mail-in ballot. The easiest way to request a ballot is through the Virginia Department of Elections' citizen portal. Voters may also download an application and return it to the Falls Church Voter Registration & Elections office at 300 Park Ave., Falls Church VA, 22046.

Completed ballots can be returned by mail or deposited into a secure drop box under 24/7 police video surveillance outside City Hall, 300 Park Ave., Falls Church VA.

The deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is 5 p.m. on June 9. Completed ballots must be returned by 7 p.m. on Election Day, June 20 or postmarked by June 20 and received by noon on the third day after the election.

Voter Registration

The deadline for voter registration or updating your voter registration address is May 30. Voters may register after May 30 and will be allowed to cast a provisional ballot on Election Day.

Voters may check their registration status, polling place and election districts through the Virginia Department of Elections' citizen portal.

In the City of Falls Church, voters may also register at City Hall, 300 Park Ave. Falls Church, VA during office hours. Applications are also available at City Hall.

A Note on Polling Places and Ward Boundaries

On Election Day (Tuesday, June 20), voters can head to their assigned polling place to cast a ballot from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. An acceptable form of identification is required. A provisional ballot is an alternative for voters who cannot provide ID.

City of Falls Church voters should be aware of a polling place change and ward boundary adjustment for the June 20 primary. Falls Green Apartments, formerly Oakwood Apartments, will no longer be the polling place for Ward 2. Instead, Ward 2 will vote at the Falls Church Community Center, 223 Little Falls St., Falls Church, VA. Wards 2 and 3 both vote at the Falls Church Community Center but will have separate voting areas inside.

In addition, the Ward 3 boundaries were adjusted, adding more of the voting population into Ward 3. The city sought the change to better balance the number of voters in each ward.

Ward 1's boundaries and polling place at Oak Street Elementary remain unchanged.

Visit the city's election web page for future updates on elections. If you have a Falls Church address in Fairfax County, visit Fairfax County's website.