Early voting in the Nov. 3 general election begins Friday and runs through Saturday, Oct. 31. (Patch Graphics)
MCLEAN, VA — Early voting for the Nov. 3 general election begins on Friday. Fairfax County voters will decide who will represent them on Capitol Hill, approve two local bonds and decide whether to amend the Virginia Constitution.
In the Aug. 4 Republican Primary, Bert Mizusawa was declared the GOP's candidate for U.S. Senate on the Nov. 3 ballot. He defeated challengers David E. Williams and Kim Farington. Mizusawa faces incumbent Senator Mark Warner (D).
Mizusawa is a decorated retired Army major general who also holds a law degree. He has had a long career that includes senior military leadership roles, legal and federal contracting work, and positions advising the first Trump campaign and the CIA. He ran unsuccessfully previously for federal office in Virginia.
Fairfax County voters cast ballots in three different congressional districts.
In the Aug. 4 Democratic primary, U.S. Rep. Don Beyer was declared the victor in the 8th Congressional District race, defeating four other Democrats: Mo Seifeldein, Adam M. Dunigan, Michael Christian Duffin, and Lorena Thorne Bruner. Beyer faces Republican Tony Sabio, Libertarian Shelly M. Arnoldi, and independent Tim S. Sharman in the general election.
In Fairfax County, voters will find two bond referendums on the ballot.
Parks And Park Facilities Bonds
Full Text: "Shall Fairfax County, Virginia, contract a debt, borrow money, and issue bonds, in addition to the parks and park facilities bonds previously authorized, in the maximum aggregate principal amount of $180,000,000 for the purpose of providing funds, with any other available funds, to finance, including reimbursement to the County for temporary financing for, the Fairfax County Park Authority's cost to acquire, construct, develop, and equip additional parks and park facilities, to preserve open-space land, and to develop and improve existing parks and park facilities?"
Summary: Authorizes Fairfax County to issue up to $180 million in general obligation bonds to fund land acquisition, construction of new facilities, open-space preservation, and upgrades to existing parks across the county.
Community Health and Human Services Facilities Bonds
Full Text: "Shall Fairfax County, Virginia, contract a debt, borrow money, and issue bonds, in addition to the community health and human services facilities bonds previously authorized, in the maximum aggregate principal amount of $75,000,000 for the purpose of providing funds, with any other available funds, to finance, including reimbursement to the County for temporary financing for, the cost to provide community health and human services facilities, including the construction, reconstruction, enlargement, and equipment of existing and additional community health and human services facilities and the acquisition of necessary land?"
Summary: Authorizes Fairfax County to borrow up to $75 million through bond sales to finance the acquisition of land, construction, expansion, and renovation of community health care facilities and human service centers.
Virginia voters will find three statewide questions on the ballot:
Question 1: Reproductive Freedom
The ballot question reads:
Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to (i) protect the freedom to make personal decisions about prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion, miscarriage management, and fertility care; (ii) protect doctors, nurses, and patients from being punished for these decisions; and (iii) allow for restrictions on access to abortion during the third trimester of pregnancy except when the patient's health is at risk or the pregnancy cannot survive?
Summary: The amendment would establish a constitutional right to reproductive freedom and protect patients and those assisting them from punishment for exercising that right. It would allow the state to regulate third-trimester abortions, but require exceptions when a physician determines an abortion is needed to protect the pregnant patient's life or physical or mental health, or when the fetus is not viable.
Question 2: Marriage Equality
The ballot question reads:
Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to (i) remove the ban on same-sex marriage; (ii) affirm that two adults may marry regardless of sex, gender, or race; and (iii) require all legally valid marriages to be treated equally under the law?
Summary: The amendment would remove Virginia's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, which the Department of Elections explains is unenforceable under the U.S. Supreme Court's 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges. It would prohibit denying marriage licenses to two adults based on sex, gender or race and require equal treatment of lawful marriages.
Question 3: Voting Rights
The ballot question reads:
Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended (i) to provide for the fundamental right to vote in the Commonwealth, (ii) to revise the qualifications of voters so that a person convicted of a felony is not entitled to vote during his period of incarceration but is automatically invested with the right to vote upon release from incarceration, and (iii) to update the existing prohibition on voting by persons found to be mentally incompetent to instead apply to persons who have been found to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting?
Summary: The amendment would establish a fundamental right to vote for qualified voters and automatically restore voting rights to people convicted of felonies upon release from incarceration, without requiring restoration by the governor. It would also require a specific court finding that a person cannot understand the act of voting before removing voting rights on the grounds of incapacity.
How To Vote
Fairfax County voters will be able to cast in-person ballots at three locations from Friday, Sept. 18 through Saturday, Oct. 31. Polls will also be open two Saturdays (Oct. 24 and Oct. 31) and two Sundays (Oct. 18 and Oct. 25). An additional 13 polling locations will be open Oct. 22 through Oct. 31. Scroll down to view the hours at each location.
The deadline to file for a by-mail ballot is Friday, Oct. 23. Completed ballots must be received by 5 p.m. on that day. You can return ballots by mail, in person at the polls, or in the dropbox outside the Fairfax County Government Center.
The deadline to register or update registration information is Friday, Oct. 23. Return applications in person by 5 p.m. or online by 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 23. Check your registration status at the Virginia Department of Elections Citizen Portal.