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Ms. Munnell's responses follow. There are so many groups of stakeholders, families, teachers, community members, businesses, and the county board. Within families are subsets of parents which have specific concerns regarding learning disabilities, gifted education, literacy and social emotional well-being. It is an expansive process to communicate and listen to all groups. This would involve going to events held by these groups and listening and learning, open office hours for drop-ins, communication through phone calls and emails. I don’t see conflicts between these groups. I see needs to be addressed. As for prioritizing among these groups, I have stated on my platform, literacy is my first concern so we address the opportunity gap, making sure all schools deliver services for reading and special education the same so that our schools are not just equal but equitable. It elated me to see some positive changes to state laws and posted about them on my campaign and FB page, Friday Feb 25th, both the Senate and House bills - SB3/HB256 - passed. This eliminates a Class 1 misdemeanor charge for disruptive behavior in school or at school events. This will give school administration more discretion in determining discipline for a fight in the cafeteria or showing up to Homecoming while intoxicated. SB729 would eliminate a requirement for school administration to report certain behaviors to law enforcement. This gives the administration more latitude in handling a student with emotional disabilities. I would advocate for better state funding. For too long education has been under funded by a Republican-controlled legislature. Now I fear with the pandemic eroding revenues, education will take another hit. While raises are out of the question now, Richmond needs to get them back in the budget, and increased ratio of counselors to students. Now would actually be the time to invest in education as the challenges to schools to provide for our most vulnerable children will only increase. If I were in such a position to influence the decision of the superintendent, I would advocate for closing schools now. I would recommend use the rest of school year (7 weeks as I write this) for professional learning for all of our teachers. They need to learn how to be online facilitators and develop strategies for reaching all their students. I am a certified online instructor and have taught numerous online courses for education professionals. They will need the ability to prepare online courses for the fall as it seems unlikely we will return at the end of August as scheduled. (I hope I am wrong about this.) And for anyone reading this, say good-bye to snow days! The teachers will be ready to carry on! The elimination of the furlough day was an excellent choice made by the school board. We cannot overlook the need for more EL teachers, so I agree with closing the FLES program and hiring FLES teachers to be EL teachers for the regular school day. I support the request for additional Student Support Coordinators for elementary schools so that there is sustained professional development for teachers who teach in integrated classrooms. We have tapped the reserves for the elimination of the furlough. The budget now needs to be scrutinized line item by line item and position by position in order to be able to redirect monies to SSCs. In my history with APS beginning in ’97, the relationship between the two boards seems less than equal with the schools as supplicants instead the most important asset Arlington has. That relationship has improved, however, as the most important asset, I would like the CB to not consider cutting the amount transferred to the Schools. In fact, I support that the CB do more to support the schools. Two areas that the CB should help with is broadband. This crisis reveals the need for equity of access to broadband internet. Treat internet as a utility and regulated it as such. The Schools cannot do this but the CB should pursue on behalf of the entire community. Second is transportation. Eliminate buses for high school. All high school students should bike, walk, or take public transportation except for those with special requirements. I don’t believe this can happen without the support of the CB as student discount passes would need approval. These are complicated times. We have plenty of vision on the School Board. But we lack are the insights that emerge from a career of working every day with students, faculty and administration. After forty years as an educator, twenty of them right here in Arlington Public Schools, I have a perspective on our schools unique from that of my fellow candidates. Priorities established by the School Board impact our students, faculty and staff. As a School Board member, I want to use my experience to shape those priorities and achieve our goals. It’s time we elect an experienced educator to the Arlington County School Board.

Mr. Priddy's responses follow. As a member of many different groups of stakeholders involved in APS (Advisory Council on Instruction (ACI), NAACP Education Committee, Black Parents of Arlington (BPA), Superintendent’s Advisory Committee on Equity and Excellence (SACEE), BLPC for the Career Center Expansion, County Council of PTAs (CCPTA), among others), I have a front row seat to the inner workings of each group and how they interact with one another. I have personally seen their passion around the issues that are critical to the core principles of each group. While each of these committees and organizations are very different, they have many things in common. I believe it would be in their best interest to unite their voices around their commonalities, and leverage the weight of their influence in the Arlington community to achieve some of their goals. This is not to denigrate their individual purpose, but I believe that better communication among and between the groups could benefit everyone. Each May the School Board decides on which legislative positions to send to the Virginia School Boards Association (VSBA). The VSBA gathers the initiatives from School Board Associations (SBAs) throughout the entire state and determines which positions resonate with most of the SBAs in order to use their weight and convey that stance to Richmond. This process starts in May locally, goes to VSBA in early summer, and leads into the winter when the Legislature meets. Arlington County School Board has not always participated in the VSBA process. However, last year three of the four recommendations from the School Board were passed. I would like to support that process by participating every year. As your school board member, I would welcome the role as the legislative liaison of the School Board to VSBA and the legislature. Having and creating relationships with legislatures, learning about the system, and understanding how a school board member could impact decisions is where my strength lies. That would be my focus for advocacy. APS’s response to the crisis should be evaluated on two criteria: 1) Health and safety of the students 2) Teaching and instruction APS’s decision to reinforce what was taught and not introduce new content was the right choice. As we get more comfortable with distance learning, it will evolve and teachers will eventually be prepared to deliver new material. As for health and safety, APS immediately started “grab and go” food opportunities for families while continuously expanding to add more sites. They have also provided mental health support for families. As the PTA President at Thomas Jefferson Middle School, I have interacted with our social worker, counselor, and principal to ensure we have a plan to serve students that need social emotional and mental health supports. Based on these two criteria, APS’s response was appropriate. As we venture into the Fall, there are a lot of scenarios that have been offered by the education consultant community. The most viable scenario has smaller classes with staggered start times and shifting schedules. Logistically, this is challenging. Therefore, we need to consider the following: What does social distance mean for us given capacity restraints? What conversation are we having with the Arlington Education Association (AEA) to coordinate and get buy-in from our teachers? We need to gather formal, rather than anecdotal, feedback on how our students and parents have experienced distance learning. How are we going to coordinate on the operational side? We will need state level guidance on policy. Are we going to require masks? Temperature checks? What supplies will we have in stock (masks, soap, etc.) so that we are prepared? Having open and transparent conversations to answer the questions above are how we will move forward to solve this issue. I would prioritize teacher compensation and the practice of adhering to federal guidelines. If budgets are a practical expression of an organization’s priorities, then the DOJ settlement to ensure equal opportunities for English Learner Students is a priority. Staffing changes, additional money for translations, different planning factors are all part of the DOJ settlement which has been included in the budget. The changes I would recommend would prevent future violations of federal guidelines. Teacher compensation is a large issue as well. As part of the Advisory Committee on Instruction (ACI), we have committees from 13 different groups that provide recommendations on how each group would function more optimally in APS. Most of the recommendations that have been presented this year ask for additional staffing. Additionally, we have a compensation study that was scheduled to be completed this year but was not done. Therefore, we have subject matter leaders in ACI that are asking for more personnel and our personnel who lack competitive intelligence on their wages in comparison to neighboring districts. This is made more challenging by proposed budget cuts due to COVID-19. How do we get funding when we know revenue from the county is going to dip considerably? We must create a priority list and apply our decisions align with these priorities. The collaboration between the School Board and County Board has become increasingly stronger over the past two years. This can be evidenced by the larger allocation to fund the schools and the collaboration with the Joint Facilities Advisory Committee. With two new School Board members and one new County Board member (through a special election in July) there will be a need to forge new relationships. In order to create synergy, School Board members will have to regularly meet with the County Board members to build rapport and trust. Having already built relationships with those on the County Board, I have no doubt I will be able to work with whomever the voters select to fill the open seat in July. As for improvements, the County launched Destination 2027 last year (a health equity program), which has the goal of providing different communities within Arlington with the support tools to be able to access the same resources. With the hiring of the new Superintendent, and the new Chief Diversity Equity and Inclusion Officer, APS can partner with the Destination 2027 initiative and use the fundamental pieces of their health equity program to mirror some of the functions that are in place with the county. This would provide a common message from APS and the county, which would aid in the culture change to promote equity throughout the county. Throughout the campaign I have talked about having a relevant perspective that is not currently represented on the School Board; my children are currently in elementary and middle school. My active engagement and participation in current APS community issues sets me apart from other candidates. One recent experience I had, happened at Fleet Elementary where my son is currently in fourth grade. During the construction of Fleet, there were budget overruns, which led to some items that were key components for accessibility being omitted from the final design. Items such as the second elevator, playground equipment, access to the building among others, were “value engineered” out of the scope of work to save money. Consequently, we have a building that is not accessible for all and we need to have those items installed post construction. I have spoken at PTA and School Board meetings on this issue and helped organize other groups to speak at School Board meetings. I met individually with various stakeholders (parents, APS staff, School Board members, County Board members, etc.) to advocate for the re-issuing of funds to complete the items. This Spring, we successfully lobbied to get the funds allocated. Now I am on a parent committee with a special APS liaison to manage the checklist and ensure the items at Fleet will be installed. This experience showed that I have the ability to understand a problem, leverage my relationships in the community to engage a variety of stakeholders, and find an effective solution.

Mr. Sims's responses follow. I will prioritize my time and energy based upon the overall needs of APS. As I have done throughout the years as a community activist, my prioritized time will be spent with those who truly need help in advocating for themselves: parents who may not have the bandwidth to fully engage in the advocacy process, children whose home lives are not ideal - those populations have always been my primary focus and the spirit of my crafted policies. From Karla Hagan - “Terron worked with both the Arlington Montessori Action Committee (AMAC) and the Green Valley community to find a solution to longstanding challenges at Drew Model School. He worked hard and earned the trust of both communities. As one of the founders of AMAC, I saw firsthand Terron’s effectiveness in developing strategy, working with multiple communities, and advocating with the School Board and APS senior staff. It was a long and sometimes contentious process, but in the end we achieved an excellent outcome thanks to Terron’s hard work to develop and champion solutions that worked for both communities.” The Dillon Rule needs to go. Local jurisdictions need to have much more leverage in crafting policy towards the benefit of their citizenry without permission from the state. Arlington’s Richmond delegation works hard in representing us, but too often roadblocks and obstacles are placed in their way and stops them from doing even more good. COVID-19 has created an interesting set of circumstances for every school system in our country and brought to light a lot of disparities that most were not aware. Sadly, the issue APS parents are facing with respect to the lack of education during this period was predictable to those who are aware of the disconnect between the electronic devices issued to our students and instruction. I was made aware several months ago that the previous assistant superintendent of instruction did not work to ensure that instruction was applied to devices; thus, the gaps in instruction that exist in our schools and classrooms when utilizing electronic devices. I believe that knowing that these pre-COVID-19 issues existed is what drove APS leadership to come to their decision to discontinue instruction for the remainder of the school year. There are others, but instructional application to electronic devices and other forms of technology are the biggest. Before COVID-19 struck, one of my goals as a school board member was/is to fix APS' issue of not ensuring that instruction is applied to electronic devices prior issuing them to our schools. Now, not only do we have to fix that, but now also the issue you have addressed. We have to create a system of instruction that will properly educate our students in a COVID-like environment, and doing so needs to be a priority. I plan to meet with a private school principal whose school is successfully educating its students during this COVID-19 period, take the best practices, and macro it for APS. We must ensure that, if the school year begins before we are able to open the school doors, that teachers are adequately prepared and resourced to teach and that our students are as well. APS is a non-taxing authority; thus, it relies on Arlington County government for its budget dollars. Despite that authority, APS still must serve as wards of our tax dollars. The APS budget process that occurs at the beginning of every calendar year functions much more as a short-term activity than an actual process. Before the 2008 international economic crisis and BRAC, APS’ budget process was excusable only because Arlington County government had enough revenue to fully fund APS. That reality no longer exists and will not for the foreseeable future. The size of APS’ budget warrants an annual long budget-build process, culminating with senior level budget reviews and the vote. Said budget must forecast out five years and include every requirement for all schools and departments, even if none are needed for the budget year. Executing a budget in this manner enables the superintendent to build a budget strategically and clearly outline priority and funding timelines. Having an annual long budget process enables those building the budget to properly research the needs and costs of potential budget requests, from paperclips to salaries to field trips. Implementing an annual long budget process will require the schools and departments to communicate amongst themselves, which will then foster collaboration, operational efficiencies, and potential cost savings throughout APS. There are several operational functions where APS and Arlington County government can partner where doing so will maximize our tax dollars and save both entities money. Contracting is at the top of the list: i.e. employee benefits; IT services; supplies. Having been as involved with both Arlington County government and APS for as long as I have, I have never been able to figure out why these common sense partnerships do not currently exist. Because the school board is a non-taxing authority, Arlington County government is the actual government entity, it ought to be leading most, if not all, of the government operational functions. The two partnering will streamline operations and ensure that budget discussions go smoothly on both ends. I am willing to work with County staff and the new Superintendent to build this relationship moving forward. The singular quality I have that has prepared me to serve on the school board is experience. Since 2006, I have tutored and mentored in the county in various programs at Hoffman-Boston, Drew, Williamsburg, Wakefield, and Harvey Hall. I worked with the Teen Network Board and AHC’s teen tutoring program, where last year, I received its Volunteer of the Year award and currently serve on its board of directors. I have served on various APS committees and commissions, such as the FACE and Whole Child working groups and the previous Strategic Plan steering committee. I have chaired the Superintendent’s Committee to Eliminate the Achievement Gap for the past several school years, which we re-titled “Equity and Excellence”. My years of education advocacy have led me to serve the role of both friend and advisor to countless school board members, APS senior staff, principals, and parent advocacy groups and PTAs in creating consensus in policy and messaging, and most importantly, solving problems. I also chaired the county’s Fiscal Affairs Advisory committee in 2008 and worked intimately with the county board and its staff in steering us out of the international economic crisis. APS is at a pivotal point. Aside from there being two new school board members, we will soon have a new superintendent and all of the assistant superintendents were just recently appointed this school year. The relationships that I have forged with senior and mid-level staff and principals are real. Much of the work we do together and that I do on their behalf has been behind the scenes, as it should have been. There is respectable trust amongst us because of all of the work and advocacy that we have done together for over ten years.

The Voice requested that all candidates for the Democratic Party nomination for the County Board submit answers to a series of questions. Mr. Choun's answers follow. For more information on all the County Board candidates, please visit the Candidate Page http://arldemsold.local/vote/candidates/ Managed Growth. My broad skillset and unique experience will deliver on a creative, forward-thinking, progressive platform that will keep Arlington an attractive, livable community for people of all backgrounds and stages of life. I will work to ensure that Arlington’s growth is well-managed and sustainable while advancing a better quality of life and services for every resident. Let’s preserve our small town charms amidst big city amenities. • Good Government 101: Focus on customer service and core infrastructure (electric, water, transportation, digital) to make sure Arlington itself is operating quickly, efficiently and smartly. • Big Picture Decisionmaking: Incorporate more Community Feedback, comprehensive Impact Assessments and proper Long-Term Planning. • Budget Management: Increase revenue via business, tourism and state/federal support; reduce the burden of taxes and fees on residents. • Schools: Work closely with Arlington School Board and staff to share resources, resolve the students capacity crisis and meet critical budget needs. Our primary focus needs to be making sure that everyone is safe, housed, and fed. The immediate County budget adjustments should be hiring freezes, putting new projects on hold, and delaying the opening of facilities under construction such as the Lubber Run Community Center and Long Bridge Aquatics Center. The freed up and found monies should be diverted to COVID-10 response: • Universal coronavirus testing, PPE/Masks for all workers and residents, Contact Tracing • Rent, mortgage, and property tax relief • Small business support • Leasing empty motel and hotel space to temporarily house first responders, healthcare workers, and the homeless • Premium pay for frontline workers • Emergency food assistance for residents in need I am an adaptive, agile, security clearance-holding Technology Professional. The world will be radically changed after the COVID-19 pandemic ends with fundamental trends in society accelerated. In this new environment, we will need to get Arlington back to work, back to school, and back to living. • Economy: The forced shift to remote working for many employers will not suddenly reverse after the public health crisis passes. Many companies will rethink whether they need large office spaces anymore, thus presenting a clear threat to Arlington’s already high office vacancy rate and pressuring key commercial tax revenues. My focus areas for Arlington Economic Development will be federal government agencies and contractors (especially classified work that cannot be done remotely), higher education (expand Arlington campuses for GMU, Marymount, Virginia Tech), and healthcare (education, research/development, services). • Education: 10% of Arlington households are essentially disconnected (no broadband internet). This digital equity gap means that children fall behind on their schoolwork, adults cannot easily work or access public services, and older adults are even more isolated and uncontacted. The scope of my first digital equity project would include the collection and distribution of old, refurbished electronic devices and providing internet connectivity to the underserved through direct subsidies or public-private partnerships. • Life: The stay-at-home orders and social distancing requirements of the pandemic have forced people to limit the radius of their activities to their immediate neighbors and establishments. Let’s not let this newfound sense of local identity and pride go away after COVID-19 becomes a memory. As an elected local leader, I will set a goal that every Arlingtonian join a nearby civic, service, or hobby group, cultivate a culture of care, friendship and empathy that breaks down the anxiety and loneliness of today’s segregated, digital-dependent world, and foster a unique arts, culture, and entertainment scene.

The Voice requested that all candidates for the Democratic Party nomination for the County Board submit answers to a series of questions. Ms. Kanninen's responses follow. For more information on all the County Board candidates, please visit the Candidate Page http://arldemsold.local/vote/candidates/ As a School Board member, I have brought a laser focus to understanding the numbers of our Schools and County government, and after six years on the Board, I have a deep knowledge of our budgets, capital improvement plans, and future projections. This is an important strength right now, especially given our budget struggles in the COVID-19 environment, but it is also important going forward, as we seek to prioritize the many needs and opportunities we face, including not only support for our schools, but ensuring quality parks and green spaces, affordable housing, transportation choices, and amenities in every neighborhood all across Arlington. My hard work on the School Board will pay off for our County Board. I have engaged with our full community – in every neighborhood across Arlington. I know our history, I know our numbers, and I will bring a holistic mindset to the work. I will not be “just” a School Board member on the County Board. Instead, because of my experience, I will be a County Board member who understands our community’s growth, changes, and needs. The County Board made smart choices in their final budget. What was expected to be an “easy” budget year, with revenues increasing substantially, has turned out to be extremely difficult. I support the County Board’s allocation for small business emergency grants to ensure that small businesses can remain afloat and continue to pay their employees during this time of crisis. I also support the addition of emergency and contingency funds to address future needs, such as food, housing, and social services. Arlington County has had to make difficult cuts to keep our budgets balanced. Consistent with the rest of Northern Virginia, both School and County Boards were forced to eliminate our planned compensation increases for our professional staffs, impose a hiring freeze, and delay the opening of capital projects. I strongly support using some reserve funds – a local version of Keynesian economics: in tough economic times, we need to invest in our workers and community to get back on our feet as quickly as possible. Protecting our Democratic values is my passion. I have fought alongside the Arlington Dems for many years to champion causes and candidates at the local, state, and federal levels. I fought the “War on Women,” supported labor unions, organized for common sense gun law reform, and stood up for human rights. I have hosted canvasses and fundraisers, registered voters, collected signatures, and shaken hands at festivals and famers’ markets all over Arlington. In 2016, I served as co-chair of the Arlington Dems’ Joint Campaign, and in 2012, I actively supported President Obama’s re-election campaign by organizing Arlington Women for Obama. That year, I was honored to win election as a Delegate to the Democratic National Convention. As a “Charley Conrad Democrat,” I believe that positive, constructive community engagement and a focus on getting things done are fundamental to our success, not only when campaigning but, also, when governing. I have demonstrated my collaborative, inclusive approach for six years on the School Board and will continue to apply my long-held Democratic values and can-do spirit on the County Board.

The Voice requested that all candidates for the Democratic Party nomination for the County Board submit answers to a series of questions. Mr. Karantonis's responses follow. For more information on all the County Board candidates, please visit the Candidate Page http://arldemsold.local/vote/candidates/ Planning. Arlington cannot thrive in the absence of careful, long-term planning. I have a breadth of knowledge in economics and urban planning, combined with a depth and specificity of knowledge about Arlington. I have a Master’s degree in urban and regional economics with an emphasis on inequality in urban development from the Free University in Berlin, Germany. I have worked in municipal procurement, public sanitation contracting, airport development, and the energy sector in many parts of the world. And I have intimate, on the ground experience in Arlington that has allowed me to understand and recognize our county’s goals and needs, such as equitable governance, fiscal and environmental sustainability and resilience, and principled and inclusive long-term planning. As former Director for the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization (CPRO), I was part of the working group that delivered the Columbia Pike Neighborhoods Plan and Form Based Code. I am also a passionate housing and transportation advocate, currently serving on the Transit Advisory Committee and as Vice Chair of the Alliance for Housing Solutions. I continue to advocate for expanding and further funding transit along our development corridors and addressing our housing supply issue to support Arlingtonians of all income-levels and ages: the middle class, seniors aging in place, families moving into and remaining in our community, and young professionals embarking on their careers. We are inescapably part of a major, growing metropolitan area. We need to meticulously plan for this growth rate through planning efforts such as the Joint Facilities Advisory Commission (JFAC), and my substantive planning knowledge makes me the best candidate to do so. Recovery. In addition to responding to our community’s immediate needs caused by the pandemic (such as health issues, unemployment, food insecurity, and housing instability), we must plan our economy to ensure it is one that is sustainable, resilient, and diverse in a post COVID-19 world. My experience collaborating with businesses and investors at a time when Columbia Pike lost major public investment informs my thoughtful response to the COVID downturn. The County Board has already committed resources to expand the social safety net, support our first responders and the most vulnerable in our community, but we have to do more long-term planning. We must learn from the COVID experience, collect data on the impact of government intervention, and retool our agencies to improve outcomes. To rescue small businesses, I support a revolving microloan fund that goes beyond already committed first-response grants because this is necessary for their survival and recovery. Through my work with the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC), I recognize how beneficial such a program would be at the county level. Small businesses sustain a critical number of jobs and we cannot afford to let them fail. This revolving fund would allow them to pivot and adapt to current economic conditions, keeping them afloat until recovery kicks in. Additionally, we must not abandon critical, long-term planning efforts such as the Lee Highway process. We must maximize every dollar and invest strategically to aid our economic recovery and reap the pay-off when our economy rebounds. Community relationships. My relationships with a diverse field of stakeholders – current Board members, local elected officials, planning committees, local businesses, civic associations, and an economically and ethnically diverse resident population are one of my strongest assets. In fact, numerous times, I have advised our leaders in public office and in civic associations on the challenges facing a particular neighborhood, street, or business. That is why I am a member of the Arlington Career Center Building Level Planning Committee, where I provide input and feedback on the expansion of the Career Center to increase student capacity. I speak 8 languages, have lived in 8 countries, and work every day in a multi-cultural and multi-lingual environment, which has given me an in-depth, cross-cultural competence that enriches my approach to public office. Our County Board would be best served by someone who already has these strong relationships in place to sustain and expand the trust of important stakeholders to get the job done.

The Voice requested that all candidates for the Democratic Party nomination for the County Board submit answers to a series of questions. Ms. Merlene's responses follow. For more information on all the County Board candidates, please visit the Candidate Page http://arldemsold.local/vote/candidates/ Mental health. Mental health wellness is something that has unfortunately been a scapegoat for a number of policy issues being “unfixable”. From gun violence and suicide prevention, to long-term healthcare, to test taking for our kids -- a binding thread through many issues is mental health. Without the ability to change our national system, what is it that we are doing here and what are the opportunities for improvement? In my work with the Civic Federation I met with numerous staff from the police, health and human services, the schools, and more to present clear recommendations for improvements the county could pursue including: 1) Include mental health beds as part of our Capital Improvement Plan; 2) Create a one-stop specifically for mental health to reduce barriers to getting help; 3) Have one comprehensive county plan that is not siloed in various departments. With a professional background in supporting small businesses with government loans and tax credits plus community experience with the Economic Development Commission and Small Business Working Group I would bring an important perspective during this crisis. Restaurants, boutiques, coffee shops, and small stores are the heart and soul of our community. Below are various ways I would help these sectors, and in turn our community, recover. Unemployment Insurance, Shift Workers, and the Hungry Phone assistance to help residents file for unemployment using existing staff. State phone lines are overwhelmed and this would be a huge help for those most in need during this time. Regularly scheduled food and supply drives. Arlington successfully hosted one drive and should continue to host drives to benefit AFAC, local hospitals, and others in need. Smart Economic Planning Streamline the procurement for projects and consider cost early in the design process. Identify new revenue sources by empowering the Commissioner of Revenue and explore vacancy taxes to encourage lowering of rents to support small business I grew up in Arlington. I went through Arlington schools and was in trailers in elementary, middle, and high school. I know the importance of the County using data from site plan review processes to inform our Capital Improvement Plans (CIP) so we don’t end up with crowded schools. My family bought their house when Arlington could still be considered affordable. I know the difficulty that many in the same position have with aging in place, and appreciate the balance between those that want to live in a neighborhood with trees and those like me that want to live near public transportation and in walking distance to shops. My family further has deep roots in Arlington that would make me a strong candidate for any potential general election competition

TAKE ACTION. Join the Arlington Dems for our monthly meeting which will be held May 6th. Each meeting features an overview of volunteer opportunities and upcoming events, as well as great speakers and activities! Create change in your community. Get involved with Arlington Dems today! View the Agenda | View the Slides

Arlington County formally petitions Court and Arlington Dems submits letter of support, promotes public petition and publishes open letter imploring officials to grant more time to conduct nomination process during pandemic Friday, May 1, 2020, ARLINGTON, Va.—The Arlington County Democratic Committee (Arlington Democrats) this afternoon formally joined Arlington County in asking the Virginia Supreme Court to extend by two months the date of the July 7 special election to fill an open County Board seat. An extension would allow all political parties time to conduct inclusive candidate nominating processes during the coronavirus pandemic. The Arlington County delegation to the Virginia General Assembly also issued a statement Friday afternoon supporting the County and Arlington Democrats in asking for the extension. The county’s petition and Arlington Democrats’ support of it occurred this afternoon as a public petition about the issue launched last week by Arlington Democrats secured more than 800 signatures-and-counting. The committee also published an open letter to commonwealth political leaders about the issue on the website of a local news outlet. The commonwealth last week set the date of the special election to fill the seat suddenly left open after the April 16 death of Board Member Erik Gutshall. Virginia’s election law means that a July 7 special election translates into a mere 14-day window for political parties to conduct their nominating processes. “The resulting 14-day window for political parties to conduct their nominating processes is aggressive even under normal circumstances,” Arlington Democrats Chair Jill Caiazzo wrote in the letter to the commonwealth Supreme Court. “During a pandemic involving unprecedented social distancing measures, it is impossible for a political party to safely run a nominating process open to the public in this amount of time.” Vote-by-Mail Safest and Most Inclusive Option During a pandemic, the best, most inclusive option to nominate a candidate is to conduct a vote-by-mail process, which will take at least two months, the letter states, based on Arlington Democrats’ current experience conducting a vote-by-mail endorsement process for two open Arlington School Board seats, which will continue until May 30. From a public health perspective, mail-in voting is the safest option, which is why the Centers for Disease Control actively encourages its use. “Arlington Democrats has both the resources and the will to hold an open vote-by-mail nomination process for the Arlington County Board special election over a two-month period,” the letter to the state Supreme Court states. First and 14th Amendments U.S. Constitutional Amendments Apply The issue brings both the First and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution into play, the letter argues. “The right to associate with the political party of one’s choice is an integral part of basic constitutional freedom,” the letter states. “Consistent with this principle, the U.S. Supreme Court has struck down state laws that unduly infringe upon the associational rights of political parties.” The letter cites very recent Virginia court decisions that have upheld adjustments to commonwealth law “governing elections have been necessary in light of the current pandemic.” Such an extension would allow the political parties to safely run a vote-by-mail nomination process that is open to the public during this public health crisis,” the county’s General Assembly delegation noted in its statement of support of the county’s and Arlington Democrats’ request. “It is our hope that the Court will exercise its equitable powers in granting this request.” Short of an extension of the County Board special election date, the unreasonable 14-day deadline will leave Arlington Democrats no choice but to select its nominee through “a closed nomination process limited to the leadership of the Arlington Democrats,” the letter states. The letter also notes that a court-ordered extension would have to be issued by 7 p.m. EDT on May 6, 2020, to prevent the Democratic nominee from being determined by the closed nomination process alternative. The letter goes on to add that the rules governing that leadership caucus “expressly envision the transformation of the closed nomination process into a vote-by-mail nomination process open to the public—if the special election timeline is sufficiently extended to permit Arlington Democrats to run such a process.” Information about the Arlington Democrats’ County Board special election nomination process is updated as developments occur. Contact: Rebecca Theim, 702-622-8154 (cell), pr@arldemsold.local The Arlington County Democratic Committee (Arlington Dems) is the official county organization for the Democratic Party of Virginia. Arlington Dems is open to anyone interested in advancing Democratic candidates, policy priorities and values in Arlington and beyond. Learn more at the Arlington Democrats website, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Forum Comes as Voters Request, Receive and Return Ballots in Arlington Dems’ First Mail-In Caucus Saturday, April 25, 2020, 2020, ARLINGTON, Va.— Arlington Young Democrats and the Arlington County Democratic Committee (Arlington Dems) will host a virtual forum Tuesday, April 28 for candidates seeking the Democratic endorsement in the Arlington Dems School Board Caucus. The forum will include questions submitted earlier from the public through an online submission process. The forum will be aired live at 7 p.m. via Facebook Live at facebook.com/arlingtonyoungdems. A Facebook account will not be needed to view the recording. Afterward a recording of the forum will be posted to  the Arlington Young Democrats’ and Arlington Dems’ websites, social media and YouTube accounts. The forum comes nine days before the May 7 deadline for prospective voters to request a ballot to participate in the Arlington Dems’ caucus, which will select two candidates to receive the organization’s endorsement ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. “Arlington Young Democrats is excited to play a role in Arlington Dems’ mail-in endorsement caucus,” said AYD President Dan Matthews. “With the coronavirus pandemic necessitating a change in the caucus voting method to respect the commonwealth’s stay-at-home order, we’re proud to help ensure that the caucus is successful, accessible, and inclusive.” All five candidates seeking the Arlington Dems’ endorsement for the two open School Board seats have committed to participate in the online candidate forum. Additional information about the candidates is available at http://arldemsold.local/vote/school-board-caucus/. About two weeks after announcing a transition to a vote-by-mail process for the caucus, Arlington Dems has received more than 3,600 ballot requests representing all 54 Arlington voting precincts. This early response exceeds the total 1,994 ballots cast in the 2019 School Board Caucus and sets the stage for a potentially record-breaking caucus. “As our community collectively works to create a new normal, it is inspiring to see that Arlington’s voters are making it a priority to support the democratic process,” Arlington Dems Chair Jill Caiazzo said. “November is coming, and our community will be ready for the most important election of our lives.” Registered voters interested in casting a vote in the caucus should immediately request a ballot at http://arldemsold.local/vote/ballot/. Voters have until May 7 for their ballot request to be received (NOT postmarked). Returned ballots must be received (NOT postmarked) by May 30. Arlington Dems’ website has comprehensive information about the caucus, which includes a “Frequently Asked Questions” section. ### The Arlington Young Democrats is an organization of Arlington citizens, ages 18-35, committed to furthering the principles of the Democratic Party, making an impact in the Arlington community and providing networking and social opportunities for young people in Arlington. The organization reaches over 1,700 people weekly and is the largest local Young Democrats organization in the state of Virginia.The Arlington County Democratic Committee (Arlington Dems) is the official county organization for the Democratic Party of Virginia. Arlington Dems is open to anyone interested in advancing Democratic candidates, policy priorities and values in Arlington and beyond. Learn more at the Arlington Democrats website, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Arlington Democrats, Today we learned that the special election to fill the seat on the Arlington County Board that is now vacant due to Erik Gutshall’s untimely death has been set for July 7. Under Virginia law, the Arlington Democrats must nominate the Democratic candidate for the special election by May 8 -- i.e., only 14 days from today. Arlington Democrats believe a vote-by-mail nomination caucus open to all Democratic registered voters in Arlington would best serve the interests of democracy and Arlington voters in this unprecedented time of public health crisis. But, in order to meet the aggressive timeline set by the laws of Virginia, it is impossible to facilitate a vote-by-mail nomination process. This leaves the Arlington Democrats with no option but to select the Democratic nominee through a closed virtual caucus, which involves a vote by the members of its Steering Committee and County Committee that will conclude by May 7. Arlington Democrats is prepared to transform this virtual nomination process -- which is detailed in the Arlington Democrats’ new special election webpage -- into a vote-by-mail process open to all Democratic registered voters in Arlington if the nomination period is extended to encompass a two-month period. Arlington Democrats is actively exploring options to achieve this extension, including through consultation with multiple legal counsel. Arlington Democrats also is asking Governor Northam and the General Assembly to move the special election date so that political parties have the ability to hold an open nomination process, while respecting necessary social distancing measures. Please help us to fight for the voting rights of Arlington voters by signing this petition -- act today! Regardless of the nature of the nomination process, we can be confident that our eventual Democratic nominee will honor the community-focused legacy of Erik Gutshall. Now more than ever, we need Erik’s brand of Democratic pragmatism and empathy in our leaders. Please join us today (virtually!) in fighting for that kind of leadership at every level of government. Onward, Jill Caiazzo Chair, Arlington Democrats

A Message from Erik Dear Arlington Democrats, Thank you for all the support that you've given me over these past many weeks as I undergo treatment for brain cancer. My family and I really appreciate all the kind words and encouragement while I've been dealing with this difficult diagnosis. As a result of this health issue, it saddens me deeply that I had to announce my resignation as an elected official from the Arlington County Board. My family and I will always be grateful to the Arlington Democrats for your unwavering support and enthusiasm for those of us serving in elected positions. My time in office has been the fulfillment of a dream, and I can't thank you, my fellow Democrats, nearly enough for continuing to inspire me during even the most difficult of times. I hope that you stay safe and healthy during this current trying situation. I'm looking forward to more blue victories in all of our futures. With deepest admiration, Erik Gutshall News of Erik Gutshall’s death from brain cancer is difficult to process. Erik was a true servant-leader who always put the needs of the Arlington community first. Arlington Democrats are grateful for his service and will sincerely miss his voice on the County Board, where he sought common ground and practical solutions for the challenges facing our community. During this difficult time, Arlington Democrats stand with Erik's wonderful family, who are in our thoughts and our hearts. While a public memorial for Erik is not possible now due to social distancing requirements, we still can express our gratitude for Erik's service and support for his family virtually. Please leave a personal note using the comment field below. Together, we can honor Erik and demonstrate just how much he and his family mean to the Arlington community. -- The comment period has closed --