House 35 Special Election Voting To Start: Key Dates To Know

VIENNA, VA — Early voting will begin Wednesday for the Jan. 10, 2023 special election to fill the vacant House of Delegates 35th District seat formerly held by Del. Mark Keam.

The special election was scheduled after Keam (D-Fairfax) resigned in September to take a Biden administration role. The candidates in the special election are Democrat Holly Seibold and Republican Monique Baroudi.

Seibold was a teacher before founding an educational firm and also founded the nonprofit BRAWS, which provides menstrual supplies and undergarments to women and girls. Baroudi is an Oakton resident and information technology professional who had attended Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. The Republican of Fairfax County nominated its candidate, and the Fairfax County Democratic Committee chose its candidate by a caucus district residents could vote in.

Voters in 20 Fairfax County precincts are eligible to vote in the special election. This includes: 204 Madison, 213 Vienna #1, 214 Vienna #2, 216 Vienna #4, 218 Vienna #6, 701 Blake, 704 Freedom Hill, 720 Thoreau, 726 Magarity, 727 Oakton, 729 Nottoway, 731 Tysons, 732 Oak Marr, 733 Kilmer, 734 Hunters Branch, 735 Rotonda, 802 Cedar Lake, 844 Centerpointe, 856 Penderbrook, and 857 Island Pond.

Voters may confirm their precinct by visiting vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation.

In-person early voting and mail-in voting will begin Wednesday. In-person early voting will start at the Office of Elections at the Fairfax County Government Center (Suite 323, 12000 Government Center Pkwy, Fairfax, VA 22035) weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Providence Community Center (3001 Vaden Drive, Fairfax, VA 22031) will also be an early voting location on Saturday, Dec. 31 and Jan. 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. An acceptable form of identification is required for in-person voting in Virginia.

Early in-person voting will not be offered on Thanksgiving from Nov. 24 to 25, Christmas from noon on Dec. 23 through Dec. 26 and New Year's on Jan. 2. Saturday, Jan. 7, at 5 p.m. will be the deadline for in-person early voting.

Mail-in ballots will start to be issued Wednesday to voters who requested one. Voters may request a mail-in ballot by applying online or other ways through the Fairfax County Office of Elections. Applications for mail-in ballots are due by Dec. 30.

Completed ballots may be returned by mail or to the secure drop box outside the Fairfax County Government Center. Ballots must be postmarked by Jan. 10 and received by the Office of Elections in the mail by Jan. 13.

Jan. 3 will be the deadline for voter registration or updating a voter's address for the special election. Voters may register or change their address online or other ways through the Fairfax County Office of Elections.

On Election Day, head to your assigned polling place from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. If you are in line by 7 p.m., you will be allowed to vote. An acceptable form of ID will be needed to vote in person at your polling place.

A sample ballot is available here.

The election will fill the vacant House 35 seat before redrawn maps take place with the November 2023 election. All Virginia House of Delegates and Virginia Senate seats will be up for election in 2023 with redrawn maps due to mandated redistricting after the 2020 Census. The 35th House District will have adjusted boundaries and become the 12th House District.

For more information, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/elections.