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Early voting in Alexandria's city council special election shifts into high gear this weekend — and the turnout numbers suggest voters are paying attention.
According to the city's election dashboard, updated through Thursday, a combined 13,280 Alexandrians have already cast ballots: 7,496 in person at the Office of Voter Registration and Elections and 5,784 by mail. With Alexandria carrying 102,597 active registered voters, that means roughly 13% of the electorate has already voted — before this weekend's extended hours even begin. Another 4,216 mail-in ballots have been sent out but not yet returned.
Starting tomorrow, it gets easier to vote in person. The Office of Voter Registration and Elections at 132 N. Royal St., Suite 100, will be open Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. — the first of eight consecutive days of extended or weekend hours before early voting closes April 18. Sunday hours run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, the office will stay open until 7 p.m. each evening, and the office will be open on Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Today was also the last day to request a mail-in ballot. The 5 p.m. deadline has passed for new applications — from here, the only paths to voting are early in-person through April 18 or showing up at your polling place on Election Day.
A forum and a chance to vote — both on Saturday
Tomorrow offers voters two ways to engage. The League of Women Voters of Arlington and Alexandria City hosts a virtual candidate forum Saturday, April 11, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. All three candidates — Democratic nominee Sandy Marks and independents Frank Fannon and Alison Virginia O'Connell — are expected to participate. Voters can register to attend and submit questions in advance at eventbrite.com. A Zoom link will be provided upon registration.
The voter registration office will also be open that morning from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. — making Saturday a natural day to vote before or after the forum.
Ryan Belmore
A race with momentum
The dashboard's day-by-day breakdown shows a race that has been building steadily since early voting opened March 6. Single-day in-person totals ranged from 119 voters on March 12 to a high of 558 on April 3. The week of April 6 continued strong, with 485 voters on Monday, 342 on Tuesday, 330 on Wednesday, and 339 on Thursday.
Of 10,415 mail-in ballots sent, 5,732 have been returned. Fifty-two ballots have been flagged as needing a cure — voters in that situation should contact the Office of Voter Registration immediately at 703.746.4050.
The race
Three candidates are competing for the seat vacated when Kirk McPike resigned in January to serve as a delegate in Richmond: Democratic nominee Sandy Marks, and independents Frank Fannon and Alison Virginia O'Connell. There is no Republican in the race — the Alexandria Republican City Committee's nominee withdrew before the filing deadline and the party opted not to name a replacement.
Marks, an advocacy communications specialist and two-term former chair of the Alexandria Democratic Committee, won the Feb. 21 Democratic firehouse primary with 39.6% of the vote in a five-candidate field. Fannon, a fourth-generation Alexandrian, served on council from 2009 to 2012 as a Republican and is now running as an independent. O'Connell is an activist and former member of two city advisory bodies whose campaign centers on ethical investment, affordable housing, and what she calls "Trump-proofing Alexandria."
The winner will serve through Dec. 31, 2027.
Also on the ballot: a proposed statewide constitutional amendment that would temporarily allow the General Assembly to redraw Virginia's congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterms. Its legal status remains in dispute — a circuit court ruling against the process is on appeal — but voting is proceeding.
The Alexandria Brief has interviewed all three candidates. Full conversations with Frank Fannon, Sandy Marks, and Alison Virginia O'Connell are available as video, audio, and transcript below.
The complete early voting schedule and Election Day information is available at alexandriava.gov/Elections. Polls on April 21 open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
Ryan Belmore
Ryan Belmore
