Falls Church Vice Mayor Letty Hardi To Run For Re-Election In 2023

FALLS CHURCH, VA — With three Falls Church City Council seats up for election in November 2023, at least one incumbent plans to seek re-election.

Vice Mayor Letty Hardi announced on her blog that she will seek re-election. His term on City Council expires on Dec. 31, 2023. Hardi was first elected to City Council in 2015 and became vice mayor in 2022.

An immigrant born in Hong Kong, Hardi is a Herndon High School graduate and has lived in Falls Church since 2003. Hardi said she first ran for City Council to be a "new voice" while balancing being a mom of three young kids.

"That balancing act drove the priorities I’ve worked on our behalf the past 8 years: generational investments in a new high school that some thought we’d never build (plus library and city hall), new parks, sidewalks, traffic calming, big strides in affordable housing, and a more vibrant, walkable city – powered by smart development, new businesses, and financial stewardship, at an even lower tax rate than 13 years ago," Hardi shared on her blog. "I also promised that I’d serve with transparency and thoughtfulness – I would hold office hours, respond to emails to explain my votes, and even if we disagreed, I shared my thinking on a weekly basis to find common ground and make local government accessible."

But even as her kids are growing up and she is no longer the "new voice" on City Council, the vice mayor wants to build on achievements from the last eight years.

"We’ve got a great thing going and so much opportunity in front of us: we can keep preserving the best of our small town charm while working towards a more sustainable, welcoming community and a high quality of life now and for future generations," Hardi wrote. "I am grateful to have met so many of you, listened, and served our community; I hope to earn your vote again this fall and keep us moving forward."

There will be no primary election for City Council in 2023, but three seats will be on the ballot on Nov. 7, 2023.

One of the seats is held by Mayor David Tarter, who has already announced he will not run for another term. The other open seat is currently held by Councilmember Phil Duncan, who is currently recovering from a lung transplant, according to the Falls Church News Press.

The four other City Council members have terms expiring at the end of 2025. While voters select members of City Council, the appointments of mayor and vice mayor are decided by City Council.

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

The City of Falls Church only has primary elections on June 20, 2023 for Commonwealth's Attorney and Virginia State Senate 37th District.