FAIRFAX CITY, VA — Fairfax City voters heading to the polls to cast ballots in the Nov. 5 general election will find candidates running in the city council, school board and mayoral races.
Of the 11 candidates running for one of the six open seats on the city council, only three are incumbents — Billy Bates, Kate Doyle Feingold and Jeff Greenfield. For Bates and Doyle Feingold, this is their first time running for reelection.
All of the candidates in the city council race participated in the Sept. 25 candidate meet-and-greet at the Sherwood Community Center. Before voters got a chance to speak one-on-one with them, each of the candidates delivered a statement summarizing their reasons for running. The following are the remarks Bates made at that event.
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“An eighth grade civics teacher of mine, who is likely here tonight — she was here last year, I don’t know she is tonight — but she told our class in eighth grade that local government has the biggest impact on your life, more so than the state government, more so than the federal government. I believe that’s true, and that class in eighth grade was really where my interest in local government first blossomed. That is why teachers are so important to our society as a whole, as well as to our city
“When I ran, I was not expecting to win the first time around, but I wanted to run, and I wanted to bring issues into the race, specific positions on issues, and wanted to be open about where I stood on them. I wanted to bring the conversation from the candidates, and then add in a focus on issues [such as] development, affordable housing.
“I support affordable housing. I believe that we need to increase housing affordability and walkability in old town and throughout the city. A lot of students at GMU love Old Town, but they just wish they could walk around and feel safe while doing so.
“At the end of the day, I just want to be open about who I am, what my values are, what my background is, and, yes, I am endorsed by the Democratic Party. I’ve been involved with the Democratic Party for many years before I ran. But I wanted to be open about who I am and where I stand.”
Patch is publishing a new story each day featuring remarks made by one of the candidates who spoke at the Sept. 25 meet and greet at the Sherwood Community Center, which was co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area and Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce.
Listen to the full audio from the Sept. 25 candidate meet-and-greet event.
Find out what's happening in Fairfax Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
So far, Patch has published remarks made by both candidates running for mayor, Catherine Read and Susan Hartley Kuiler, as well as two of the 11 candidates in the city council race, Stacy A. Hall, Kate Doyle Feingold, Rachel McQuillen and Amini Elizabeth Bonane.
Fairfax City Mayor
Fairfax City Council
Early voting is underway at the Fairfax City Hall polls and will continue through Saturday, Nov. 2. Polls are open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will also be two Saturdays (Oct. 29 and Nov. 2) when voters can cast in-person ballots.
Patch has gathered all the information Fairfax City voters need to know about the Nov. 5 election in one place.
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Additional information about the Nov. 5 general election can be found online at League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area. The league co-sponsored the Sept. 25 candidate forum with the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce.
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