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ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Several candidates vying for Virginia's 8th Congressional District seat will gather in Alexandria Thursday evening for a candidate forum at Shiloh Baptist Church, giving city residents a chance to hear directly from those seeking to represent them in Congress ahead of the August 4 primary.
The forum begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 9, at Shiloh Baptist Church Worship Center, 1401 Jamieson Ave. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.
Shiloh Baptist Church lists incumbent Rep. Don Beyer, Adam Dunigan and Frank Fereira as Democratic participants, along with Republican Tony Sabio. The Brief has reached out to the church to confirm the full participant list, as not all names on the forum flyer appear on the official Alexandria primary ballot.
According to the Alexandria Electoral Board and the Virginia Public Access Project, the five candidates on the Democratic primary ballot for the 8th District are Mo Seifeldein, Michael Christian Duffin, Donald S. Beyer Jr., Adam M. Dunigan, and Lorena Thorne Bruner. On the Republican side, Sabio is unopposed in the House race and does not appear on Alexandria's Republican primary ballot, which is limited to the U.S. Senate contest.
The 8th District, which covers Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, and parts of Fairfax County, is among the most Democratic in the country, making the Democratic primary the race to watch. The Democratic nominee will face Sabio in the Nov. 3 general election. With around 76,000 federal employees living in the district, federal layoffs and affordability have emerged as central themes of the race.
Thursday's forum at Shiloh follows a similar event hosted by Arlington Democrats at Lubber Run Community Center last Wednesday, which featured all five Democratic candidates. More information on Thursday's forum is available at shiloh-bc.org/candidate.
What's on your Alexandria ballot Aug. 4
Alexandria voters will see a dual primary on Aug. 4. Democratic voters will choose among the five 8th District House candidates listed above. Republican voters will choose among three U.S. Senate candidates — Bert Mizusawa, Kim Farington and David E. Williams — with the winner facing Democratic incumbent Sen. Mark Warner in November.
Sample ballots are available at alexandriava.gov/Elections.
How to vote in Alexandria
Early voting is underway. In-person early voting is available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Office of Voter Registration and Elections, 132 N. Royal St., Suite 100. Weekend and evening hours begin July 19 at both the Royal Street office and Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library, 5005 Duke St. The last day for early voting at both locations is Saturday, Aug. 1.
Residents may request a mail ballot online at vote.elections.virginia.gov or by contacting the Royal Street office. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. on July 24 — the same deadline to register to vote or update an address. Completed mail ballots must be postmarked before 7 p.m. on Election Day and received by noon on Aug. 7. A secure drop box is available 24/7 in front of the Royal Street office through 7 p.m. on Election Day.
For questions, contact the Office of Voter Registration and Elections at 703-746-4050 or VoteAbsentee@alexandriava.gov.
This story will be updated when Shiloh Baptist Church responds to The Brief's inquiry about the full participant list.
