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Tag: james walkinshaw

  • ‘So wrong’: Fairfax Co. community vigil honors Renee Good, Alex Pretti – WTOP News

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    A large crowd packed a Reston, Virginia, church on Thursday night, singing and holding candles to honor those who have been injured or killed during interactions with federal law enforcement officials.

    A large crowd packed a Reston, Virginia, church on Thursday night, singing and holding candles to honor those who have been injured or killed during interactions with federal law enforcement officials.

    Led by community and religious leaders, the crowd applauded as speakers urged them to speak out. Pictures of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were both killed in Minneapolis, sat in the front of the room at United Christian Parish.

    The gathering came days after Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse at Minneapolis VA Medical Center, was shot several times while filming Border Patrol officers conducting an immigration enforcement operation.

    Good was killed earlier in January while blocking a road with her vehicle.

    Their deaths have led to large-scale demonstrations in Minneapolis and other parts of the country.

    Virginia Rep. James Walkinshaw, who organized the vigil, said the event wasn’t about politics but instead “human beings coming together to acknowledge that lives are being lost needlessly and that the violence needs to come to an end.”

    “It’s so wrong,” said Howard Berman, who attended the vigil. “What’s happening there, happening in Portland, Maine, and happened in California, and will be happening elsewhere.”

    Pastor Vernon Walter, meanwhile, told the crowd he’s “tired, my brothers and sisters, this evening of funerals that should never have happened. I am tired tonight of mothers crying out to a system that does not answer them back. I am tired of power that takes life first and explains itself later.”

    Mary Jackson said she’s been writing on social media “how proud we are of the Minnesotans.”

    “I hope the message sends to those who have some authority in the White House to know that they’re doing the American citizens wrong, and they are actually persecuting people who have lived here for years and strive to make this country the country that it is today,” Jackson said.

    Rev. Linda Calkins suspected “probably everybody in this room knows someone who is afraid to come out and is afraid of being arrested or taken away from their family.”

    Walkinshaw is calling for an independent investigation into what led to Good and Pretti’s deaths, “not conducted by the Department of Homeland Security itself. It should be conducted by an impartial, independent FBI. Unfortunately, we don’t have that. So those investigations need to be conducted by state and local agencies.”

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    © 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Scott Gelman

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  • ‘I’ll continue fighting’: Preventing another shutdown top of mind for this Virginia congressman – WTOP News

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    Congress will soon be back in session, and one of the first orders of business will be passing a funding bill to prevent another government shutdown.

    Congress will soon be back in session, and one of the first orders of business will be passing a funding bill to keep the government open.

    Rep. James Walkinshaw, a Democrat from Virginia, said Congress must avoid another government shutdown. The most recent shutdown, which set a record for its length, hit his constituents in Fairfax County hard, he said.

    “During the shutdown I think folks were really concerned about meeting basic needs,” Walkinshaw said.

    Walkinshaw said it was not just federal workers who struggled to make ends meet.

    “Those who were furloughed, those who received SNAP benefits or food stamps and had uncertainty around whether those were going to be continued,” he said.

    When negotiations resume for a new budget deal, Walkinshaw said he’ll push for provisions that will give people in his district peace of mind.

    “I’ll continue fighting in that budget process to get protection for federal workers, keep the government open to prevent RIF’s,” he said, referring to sweeping reductions in the federal workforce that took place in 2025.

    Congress does not have much time to work as it faces a Jan. 30 deadline for a funding bill.

    “We’ll need to pass either nine of the 12 appropriations bills or some combination of appropriations bills,” Walkinshaw said. “We’re going to be in a couple weeks sprint in January to get that done.”

    The other big issue Congress will face is high health care costs for millions of Americans who have insurance thorough the Affordable Care Act. Subsidies that lowered premiums expired on New Year’s Day.

    Walkinshaw said there is a clear solution.

    “I signed on to a discharge petition that will force a vote on a three-year extension of those tax credits,” Walkinshaw said.

    It is unclear when the vote will be held, but it is expected this month. Walkinshaw said he is frustrated the tax credits expired, but hopeful something can be passed to help people afford their health care premiums.

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    Kyle Cooper

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  • Va. Rep. Walkinshaw: Mass firing threat an ‘amateurish attempt to negotiate’ amid looming shutdown – WTOP News

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    Rep. James Walkinshaw, whose Virginia district is home to residents who are part of the federal workforce, talked with WTOP anchor Nick Iannelli Thursday and shared what he said everyone in Congress should be doing. 

    Newly elected Virginia Rep. James Walkinshaw says that President Donald Trump’s administration’s threat of mass firing was an “amateurish attempt to negotiate” amid a looming government shutdown.

    Walkinshaw, a Democrat whose Virginia district is home to many residents who are part of the federal workforce, talked with WTOP anchor Nick Iannelli on Thursday and shared what he said everyone in Congress should be doing.

    Listen to the interview below.

    Walkinshaw says everyone in Congress should be doing this to reach funding agreement

    The transcript below has been lightly edited for clarity.

    • Nick Iannelli:

      I feel like Democratic lawmakers in Virginia are in a uniquely difficult spot because of the nature of the federal workforce and the saturation of the federal workforce, especially in your district.

      So where are you at with this right now? What is your mindset?

    • James Walkinshaw:

      Well first, with respect to the threat of mass firing and the memo that came out, I think it’s complete bluster and BS.

      The Trump administration has no more legal authority to fire federal workers or implement mass firing of federal workers in a shutdown than they do today, when the government’s open. In a shutdown, federal workers have their civil service protections under the law. In a shutdown, if the administration wants to implement a reduction in force, they have to follow precisely the same rigorous process that they have to follow today.

      So if the Trump administration attempts, if there’s a shutdown, to do an inrun around that process, they’ll end up in court, and I’m confident that they’ll lose in court.

    • Nick Iannelli:

      So one question here has been, is this a negotiation tactic or is this a real threat?

      And judging by what you just said, it sounds like you are firmly in the category of this is not real. This is the Trump administration trying to negotiate.

    • James Walkinshaw:

      Yeah, and I think it’s an amateurish attempt to try to negotiate. The way to negotiate is to sit down and have a meeting. But President Trump has refused to even meet with Democratic leaders to negotiate a bipartisan agreement to cancel the cuts to health care and keep the government open, but this memo as a negotiating tactic is embarrassing.

    • Nick Iannelli :

      Do you think it’s a gamble to view it as just a negotiating tactic and not a legitimate effort to carry out these mass layoffs?

    • James Walkinshaw:

      No, I don’t think it’s a gamble because the law is very clear. The Trump administration has no additional legal authority to carry out mass firings in a shutdown than they do when the government’s open.

      They’ve been conducting firings and trying to conduct firings for nine months now, sometimes legally, many times illegally. They’ve been blocked by the courts in cases where it’s been deemed to be illegal, and if they tried to do that during a shutdown, I think they’d be blocked by the courts as well.

    • Nick Iannelli :

      It is very possible that no matter what the legal situation is, the Trump administration would attempt mass layoffs, because the Trump administration has tested these boundaries throughout this year. So, vulnerable federal employees out there who may or may not receive a RIF notice if the Trump administration works to carry out this threat, what is your message to those federal employees out there? Is your message, ‘Just hang tight. The legal system will go your way eventually?’

    • James Walkinshaw:

      My message is one: I’m doing what everybody in Congress should be doing, and urging a real bipartisan negotiation to resolve the differences that exist and get a bipartisan funding agreement in place to avoid the shutdown.

      Second, my message with respect to the threat of mass firings or layoffs and federal workers know this: The Trump administration has been doing this for nine months. They assert that they have the legal authority to shut down federal agencies, to shut down federal offices, to fire federal workers, and they’ve been doing it en masse to the tune of hundreds of thousands of federal workers over the last nine months. A shutdown won’t change that.

      I expect that the Trump administration’s efforts to fire federal employees will continue whether the federal government is open or shut down.

    • Nick Iannelli :

      In Congress, what’s the feeling right now when you think about the chances of a government shutdown happening? In your eyes, from your perspective, what are the chances of a government shutdown at this point?

    • James Walkinshaw :

      There was some optimism earlier this week when President Trump agreed to sit down finally and meet with Democratic leaders. I think had that meeting occurred, there would have been a possibility of an agreement or some movement toward an agreement. But when the president went on social media to cancel that bipartisan meeting. I think the odds of a shutdown went way, way up.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Nick Iannelli

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  • LIVE RESULTS: Walkinshaw wins special election for US House seat representing Fairfax – WTOP News

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    Polls close at 7 p.m. in the City of Fairfax and Fairfax County, Virginia, in a special election to fill the U.S. House seat of the late Gerry Connolly.

    Democrat James Walkinshaw will be the newest member of Congress, winning a special election in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District to replace Gerry Connolly, who had held the U.S. House seat representing the City of Fairfax and much of Fairfax County since 2009 and died in May.

    Walkinshaw served as Connolly’s chief of staff and is serving his second term as the Braddock District supervisor on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Connolly endorsed Walkinshaw as his successor before his death.

    Walkinshaw beat out Republican candidate Stewart Whitson, a former FBI special agent and Army veteran. The Associated Press called the race at 7:36 p.m., 36 minutes after polls closed.

    As of that time, Walkinshaw had earned nearly 75% of the vote to Whitson’s 25%. Approximately 37% of the vote had been counted, according to the AP.

    His campaign also raised far more than Whitson’s, totaling over $1 million, compared to Whitson’s $224,469, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

    “What stands out the most for me about this election result is that it is in line with the wide margin that the late Rep. Gerry Connolly won by in 2024,” WTOP Capitol Hill Correspondent Mitchell Miller said.

    Connolly was reelected in 2024 by close to a two-to-one margin.

    “This result should be encouraging to Democrats, who needed a big win to indicate that they are energized heading into the 2026 mid-term elections,” Miller said.

    The victory for Democrats means they now hold 213 seats in the House of Representatives, while Republicans hold 219. Miller cautioned that Democrats should not read too much into Tuesday’s victory, as Walkinshaw was heavily favored to win the race in the deep-blue district that Kamala Harris also won in the 2024 presidential election, with 65.4% of the vote.

    Walkinshaw patterns his politics after his predecessor as a “pragmatic progressive.”

    As a Fairfax County supervisor, he’s led efforts to ban guns from libraries and rec centers, improve pay and benefits for working families, extend tax relief to seniors and military families, and fight climate change, according to his campaign.

    As he prepares to be sworn in as a member of Congress, Walkinshaw said he’s ready to challenge the Department of Government Efficiency and President Donald Trump’s mission to shrink the federal workforce.

    “I want to take on the Trump agenda. I want to end DOGE and I want to deliver results for our community, as I did when I was Gerry Connolly’s chief of staff, as I have on the board of supervisors,” Walkinshaw told WTOP.

    He said going through this special election process has had its challenges.

    “It’s been a whirlwind,” Walkinshaw said. “It obviously started with a very hard loss of a close friend in Gerry Connolly. We had a sprint to the primary, a 10-way primary. So we sprinted to that, and now we’ve sprinted to this special election. But I’ve enjoyed most every minute of it, had the opportunity to meet thousands and thousands of folks here in the 11th District, and talk about their experiences and their challenges and their hopes and their dreams.”

    As of 3 p.m., approximately 20% of the district’s voters had turned out to vote, with nearly 11% of them voting early and just under 9% voting Tuesday. During the last election for the 11th District seat that didn’t coincide with a presidential election, more than 55% of registered voters in the district cast a ballot.

    Special elections traditionally have lower turnout.

    This is a developing story and will be updated.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Thomas Robertson

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  • Voters choose new Virginia congressman Tuesday in special election – WTOP News

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    Northern Virginia voters will elect a new congressman to succeed the late Rep. Gerry Connolly on Tuesday, in a special election for the 11th District seat.

    Check back with WTOP for special election results on Sept. 9. WTOP will have election analysis and team coverage on air, online and on our social media platforms.

    From left, James Walkinshaw and Stewart Whitson meet in a forum in Virginia.(WTOP/Scott Gelman)

    Northern Virginia voters will elect a new congressman to succeed the late Rep. Gerry Connolly Tuesday, in a special election for the 11th District seat.

    It’s a rare September Election Day, which follows the death of the longtime Democratic lawmaker, who died in May after a battle with cancer.

    Voters in the district will choose between Connolly’s former chief of staff, Democrat James Walkinshaw, and Republican Stewart Whitson, a former FBI special agent and Army veteran.

    Walkinshaw, who is a member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, worked for Connolly for more than a decade and patterns his politics after him as a “pragmatic progressive.”

    Whitson, who won a crowded GOP primary, aligns himself with President Donald Trump and efforts to combat crime, illegal immigration and make government more efficient.

    Before Connolly was elected in 2008, the district was represented for many years by a Republican, former Rep. Tom Davis.

    But the district, which includes the City of Fairfax and most of Fairfax County, has trended toward Democrats for more than a decade.

    Federal job cuts are a major issue

    “There’s an old saying that all politics is local, but I really think that what you’re considering in the 11th district of Virginia is all politics is national,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington.

    The district has tens of thousands of federal workers and contractors, including many who have been affected by the Trump administration’s federal job cuts through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

    The impact of DOGE hits much harder in the district than in other parts of country. Farnsworth noted that can go beyond federal workers, to the regional economy.

    “It’s a tough time to have a hardware store or a restaurant in northern Virginia, with all the uncertainty about federal contractors and federal jobs,” he said.

    Also, Connolly was known as a lawmaker who fought for federal workers, a legacy Walkinshaw hopes to continue. The widespread job cuts can motive Democratic voters.

    “It’s clear that the strength of Democrats in the 11th District is particularly intense when we’re considering the actions of the Trump administration,” Farnsworth said.

    Whitson hopes to capitalize on Trump policies

    Whitson faces an uphill political battle as Republicans try to retake the seat, in a district where Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris won 65% of the vote in the 2024 election.

    He has spoken in strong support of Trump policies, including the DOGE cuts, arguing that federal workers will be able to find better jobs in the private sector.

    He has pointed out that he was a federal employee himself for nearly a decade, working for the FBI.

    Whitson has also said he is not afraid to stand up to Democratic policies that he believes have wasted billions of dollars, which he hopes will galvanize Republican support in the district.

    He echoes a message made by the president and the GOP, saying that people want “common sense” policies.

    While he is a political newcomer, he defeated six other Republican candidates, to gain the GOP nomination.

    What role will voter turnout play?

    Special elections traditionally have lower turnout, which could potentially help Whitson as well, in a year when there is also a governor’s race.

    Four years ago, Republican Glenn Youngkin capitalized on GOP anger over then-President Joe Biden and the policies of his administration, getting elected governor.

    “But we will see whether or not those motivated angry voters that one usually sees in Virginia gubernatorial elections will show up a couple of months early for a special election in this congressional district,” Farnsworth said.

    The election for governor takes place in November, pitting Democratic former congresswoman Abigail Spanberger against Republican Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears.

    Democrats hope to hold onto Connolly’s seat, as they prepare for the 2026 midterm elections, while Republicans would like nothing better than a surprising upset to flip it.

    Republicans currently have a 219-212 majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. Control of the House could ultimately turn on just a handful of races.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Mitchell Miller

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  • Virginia voter guide: Upcoming special election to fill late Rep. Connolly’s seat – WTOP News

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    Virginia voters in Fairfax City and Fairfax County will head to the polls on Sept. 9 to elect a candidate to fill the Congressional seat vacated by the late Rep. Gerry Connolly.

    Check back with WTOP for special election results on Sept. 9. WTOP will have election analysis and team coverage on air, online and on our social media platforms.

    From left, James Walkinshaw and Stewart Whitson meet in a forum in Virginia.(WTOP/Scott Gelman)

    Early voting is underway in a Virginia special election; voters in Fairfax City and Fairfax County will elect a candidate to fill the Congressional seat vacated by the late Rep. Gerry Connolly.

    The special election on Sept. 9 to will select Connolly’s successor in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District, which is home to more than 700,000 people. The district has become reliably Democratic; it includes all of Fairfax City and much of Fairfax County.

    Longtime Democratic Congressman Connolly died in May after a battle with cancer. He served the congressional district for 16 years.

    The special election will select Connolly’s successor in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District, which is home to more than 700,000 people. The district has become reliably Democratic; it includes all of Fairfax City and much of Fairfax County.

    James Walkinshaw, Connolly’s former chief of staff and the Braddock District supervisor, won the Democratic primary back in June. Before his death, Connolly endorsed Walkinshaw as his successor.

    Stewart Whitson, a former FBI agent and Army combat veteran, is the Republican nominee.

    Most early voting locations opened Aug. 29.

    Friday is also the deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot. Requests must be received by 5 p.m.

    Here’s what you need to know.

    Dates at a glance:

    • Deadline to apply for mail-in ballot: Friday, Aug. 29 at 5 p.m.
    • In-person early voting: Now through Saturday, Sept. 6
    • 11th Congressional District Special Election Day: Tuesday, Sept. 9. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

    WTOP’s Scott Gelman spoke with both candidates in July about key issues.

    Voting in-person

    Look up your polling place online.

    Voters can register or update existing registration online through Tuesday, Sept. 2.

    If you miss the deadline, there’s still the option to cast a provisional ballot anytime through election day. A local electoral board reviews those provisional ballots before they are counted.

    Make sure to bring along a valid form of identification, such as a driver’s license, military ID or passport.

    Nine early voting locations opened on Friday, Aug. 29:

    • Burke Centre Regional, Centreville Regional, Great Falls and Herndon Fortnightly libraries.
    • Franconia, Sully and West Springfield governmental centers.
    • Jim Scott and Lorton community centers.

    Two government centers had opened for early voting in July: the Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax and the North County Governmental Center in Reston.

    Early voting ends the Saturday before the special election, Sept. 6.

    For details on the hours the early voting locations are open, head to the Fairfax County government website. All early voting locations will be closed on Labor Day.

    Those who are 65 years old and older or who have a disability have the option of curbside voting during early voting or on election day.

    Voting absentee

    To be counted, the absentee ballots need to be mailed with a postmark on or before Sept. 9.

    Ballots must be put in a drop box by 7 p.m. on Sept. 9 or postmarked by Sept. 9

    Those ballots need to be received by the office of elections by noon on Friday, Sept. 12.

    The deadline has passed to request an absentee ballot. The application was due by Friday, Aug. 29 at 5 p.m. for a mail-in ballot.

    Virginians who are overseas can find instructions on absentee voting on the Virginia Department of Elections website for more information.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Jessica Kronzer

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  • Virginia voter guide: Upcoming special election to fill late Rep. Connolly’s seat – WTOP News

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    Virginia voters in Fairfax City and Fairfax County will head to the polls on Sept. 9 to elect a candidate to fill the Congressional seat vacated by the late Rep. Gerry Connolly.

    Check back with WTOP for special election results on Sept. 9. WTOP will have election analysis and team coverage on air, online and on our social media platforms.

    From left, James Walkinshaw and Stewart Whitson meet in a forum in Virginia.(WTOP/Scott Gelman)

    Early voting is underway in a Virginia special election; voters in Fairfax City and Fairfax County will elect a candidate to fill the Congressional seat vacated by the late Rep. Gerry Connolly.

    The special election on Sept. 9 to will select Connolly’s successor in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District, which is home to more than 700,000 people. The district has become reliably Democratic; it includes all of Fairfax City and much of Fairfax County.

    Longtime Democratic Congressman Connolly died in May after a battle with cancer. He served the congressional district for 16 years.

    The special election will select Connolly’s successor in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District, which is home to more than 700,000 people. The district has become reliably Democratic; it includes all of Fairfax City and much of Fairfax County.

    James Walkinshaw, Connolly’s former chief of staff and the Braddock District supervisor, won the Democratic primary back in June. Before his death, Connolly endorsed Walkinshaw as his successor.

    Stewart Whitson, a former FBI agent and Army combat veteran, is the Republican nominee.

    Most early voting locations opened Friday.

    Friday is also the deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot. Requests must be received by 5 p.m.

    Here’s what you need to know.

    Dates at a glance:

    • Deadline to apply for mail-in ballot: Friday, Aug. 29 at 5 p.m.
    • In-person early voting: Now through Saturday, Sept. 6
    • 11th Congressional District Special Election Day: Tuesday, Sept. 9. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

    WTOP’s Scott Gelman spoke with both candidates in July about key issues.

    Voting in-person

    Look up your polling place online.

    Voters can register or update existing registration online through Tuesday, Sept. 2.

    If you miss the deadline, there’s still the option to cast a provisional ballot anytime through election day. A local electoral board reviews those provisional ballots before they are counted.

    Make sure to bring along a valid form of identification, such as a driver’s license, military ID or passport.

    Nine early voting locations opened on Friday, Aug. 29:

    • Burke Centre Regional, Centreville Regional, Great Falls and Herndon Fortnightly libraries.
    • Franconia, Sully and West Springfield governmental centers.
    • Jim Scott and Lorton community centers.

    Two government centers had opened for early voting in July: the Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax and the North County Governmental Center in Reston.

    Early voting ends the Saturday before the special election, Sept. 6.

    For details on the hours the early voting locations are open, head to the Fairfax County government website. All early voting locations will be closed on Labor Day.

    Those who are 65 years old and older or who have a disability have the option of curbside voting during early voting or on election day.

    Voting absentee

    If you want to sign up to vote absentee, you have to apply by Friday, Aug. 29 at 5 p.m. for a mail-in ballot.

    To be counted, the absentee ballots need to be mailed with a postmark on or before Sept. 9.

    Ballots must be put in a drop box by 7 p.m. on Sept. 9 or postmarked by Sept. 9

    Those ballots need to be received by the office of elections by noon on Friday, Sept. 12.

    Virginians who are overseas can find instructions on absentee voting on the Virginia Department of Elections website for more information.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Jessica Kronzer

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