How Northam’s decision to delay May elections has affected our cities, towns

Both the May General and Special Elections, as well as the June Primary elections, have been postponed by an executive order from Gov. Ralph Northam.

The original May 5 and June 9 elections will now be held on May 19 and June 23, respectively. 

In Prince Willaim County, races in Haymarket, Occoquan, and Quantico are affected. In Fredericksburg, races for city council and school board are delayed.

Northam’s order comes in light of concerns regarding large crowds gathering at polling stations in the wake of the coronavirus. 

The postponement does not allow for new individuals who were ineligible to vote in the May 5 election to do so in the May 19 election, nor does it allow for new candidates to participate in the postponed elections. 

These new dates are not necessarily permanent and are subject to change, according to Prince William County Senior Deputy Registrar Matthew Wilson.

“At this point we are at the whim of the Governor and General Assembly,” Wilson said.

Even though the elections were postponed, Northam still encourages Virginians to vote by absentee ballot, according to a press release issued by the governor’s office.

To receive an absentee ballot for the May 19 election, a request must be sent to the voter’s local registrar’s office by May 12 at 5 p.m. Voters can also request a ballot be sent to them online. 

“Voters completing a paper application may use reason 2A, ‘my disability or illness,’ to complete their form. Voters completing an online application to request an absentee ballot will need to follow the prompts and select ‘I have a reason or condition that prevents me from going to the polls on Election Day,'” stated the press release.

Absentee ballots for the May 19 local elections sent through the mail must be received by the voter’s local general registrar by May 19 at 7 p.m. 

These are the elections in NOVA that have been affected by the postponement:

May 19 Election

Fredericksburg City Council 

• Mary Katherine Greenlaw, Mayor, Incumbent
• Anne G. Little, Mayor
• Jon A. Gerlach
• Matthew J. Kelly, Incumbent
• Kerry P. Divine, Incumbent 

Fredericksburg School Board Election

• Jannan W. Holmes
• Jarvis E. Bailey 

Haymarket Town Council

• David M. Leake., Mayor, Incumbent
• Kenneth M. Luersen, Mayor
• Thomas Carson Utz
• Connor William Leake, Incumbent
• Steven Roy Shannon, Incumbent
• Chris Samuel Morris, Incumbent
• Robert Timothy Day
• Madhusudan Panthi, Incumbent
• TracyLynn Pater
• Robert Marchant Schneider
• Joseph Ralph Pasanello
• Robert Burton Weir 

Occoquan Town Council

• Earnie W. Porta Jr., Mayor, Incumbent
• Eliot Ross Perkins, Incumbent
• Cindy J. Fithian, Incumbent
• Jennifer Michelle Loges
• Laurie Elizabeth Holloway, Incumbent
• Krystyna Michelle Bienia

Quantico Town Council

• Kevin Patrick Brown, Mayor, Incumbent
• Sammoto Yomosa Dabney
• Otis Conrad Baker, Incumbent 
• Alice Catherine Toner
• Earlene Joan Clinton, Incumbent 
• Robin Renne Langham, Incumbent 
• Ashley Rena Langham
• Russell V. Kuhns, Incumbent
• Virginia L. Macfarlan
• Jason Robert Stoltz 

June 23 Election

Manassas City Council Primary Election

City Council At-large

• Pamela J. Sebesky, Incumbent
• Mark D. Wolfe, Incumbent
• Tom C. Osina
• Helen Anne Zurita

Statewide Republican Primary

U.S. Senate

• Daniel M. Gade
• Thomas A. Speciale II
• Alissa A. Baldwin

Prince William County Democratic Primary

U.S. House of Representatives

• Qasim Rashid (VA-1, Prince William, Stafford)
• Lavangelene A. “Vanigie” Williams (VA-1, Prince William, Stafford)
• Gerald E. “Gerry” Connolly (VA-11, Fairfax, Prince William)
• Zainab M. Mohsini (VA-11, Fairfax, Prince William)