Hunter Mill Supervisor To Host Ranked Choice Voting Town Hall

RESTON, VA — Supervisor Walter Alcorn (D-Hunter Mill) is hosting a town hall meeting on ranked choice voting at the North County Governmental Center on Monday, Feb. 23, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The meeting will provide information on the voting method and its potential use in Fairfax County.

Virginia legislation passed in 2020 allows local jurisdictions to use ranked choice voting for city and county governing body elections until July 1, 2031. Currently, 62 cities, counties, and states nationwide utilize this voting method, including New York City and Minneapolis.

Two jurisdictions in Virginia have adopted ranked choice voting in government-administered elections. Arlington County was the first in Virginia to pilot the system, using it in primaries for county board members and for the first time in a general election in 2024. Charlottesville also used ranked choice voting in its city-administered council primary election last year.

The town hall will feature insights from Gretchen Reinemeyer,director of elections for Arlington County. Reinemeyer will share how the system operates in Arlington, voter feedback, and lessons learned from their experience. Liz White, executive director for Up Vote Virginia, a nonpartisan organization focused on improving election systems, will also speak.

Staff from the Fairfax County Office of Elections will participate in the discussion. They will address how ranked choice voting might be implemented within Fairfax County. The Hunter Mill District Office is organizing the event. For more information, individuals can contact the Hunter Mill District Office by email or by calling 703-478-0283, TTY 711.