election | ALXnow

Alexandria teachers union candidate disqualified less than 12 hours before officer elections

Published May 22, 2026 at 3:45PM | Updated May 22, 2026 at 5:31PM

A second grade classroom at Douglas MacArthur Elementary School (staff photo by James Cullum)

A candidate for president of the Education Association of Alexandria was informed via Zoom that he was disqualified from the race less than 12 hours before the union’s officer elections, and that there was “not time” to go through a democratic process, according to audio obtained by ALXnow.

On Wednesday night (May 20), ACPS middle school teacher David Paladin-Fernandez was informed of his disqualification from the union president race. All candidates running in the election were on the call. Andrea Hill, chair of the EAA Credentials/Election Committee, told the candidates she had conducted an investigation and that the union’s executive committee had voted to disqualify Paladin-Fernandez.

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Alleged ‘campaign violations’ behind delay of Alexandria teachers union officer elections

By James Cullum

Published May 20, 2026 at 1:45PM

School buses on W. Braddock Road on Dec. 10, 2021 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Education Association of Alexandria’s upcoming officer elections were postponed this week due to alleged campaign or election violations, according to the union’s communications to members.

The EAA broadly cited campaign or election violations in a Sunday (May 17) email update to its members on officer elections. Andrea Hill, chair of the EAA Credentials/Election Committee, told members the virtual elections — originally scheduled from Monday (May 18) to Wednesday (May 20) — would be postponed to Thursday (May 21) and Friday (May 22). Hill said an investigation into the allegations had taken place.

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Numerous Alexandria officials endorse Rep. Don Beyer’s reelection bid

By Emily Leayman

Published May 19, 2026 at 9:15AM

U.S. Rep Don Beyer (D-8th) speaks at the Alexandria Democratic Committee's Labor Day Picnic at The Garden Alexandria, 5380 Eisenhower Avenue, Sept. 1, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Numerous Alexandria elected officials have thrown their support behind Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) in his reelection bid, his campaign announced Monday (May 18).

The endorsements include Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins; Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley; City Council Members Canek Aguirre, John Chapman, Jacinta Greene, and Sandy Marks; Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter; Clerk of Court Greg Parks; Sheriff Sean Casey; School Board Chair Michelle Rief; School Board Vice Chair Christopher Harris; and School Board Members Abdulahi Abdalla, Tim Beaty, Kelly Carmichael Booz, Alexander Crider Scioscia, Donna Kenley, Ashley Simpson Baird, and Ryan Reyna. Former Mayors Bill Euille, Allison Silberberg and Justin Wilson also endorsed Beyer.

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Sandy Marks sworn into Alexandria City Council, creating historic first-ever female majority

By James Cullum

Published May 13, 2026 at 10:00AM

Alexandria City Councilwoman Sandy Marks gets sworn in by Clerk of Court Greg Parks on May 12, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Sandy Marks, the former chair of the Alexandria Democratic Committee, was sworn in to City Council Tuesday night.

For the first time in the city’s history, Alexandria’s seven-member City Council now has a female majority, as Marks joins Mayor Alyia Gaskins, Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley and Councilwoman Jacinta Greene. Marks won her seat on council in the April 21 special election for the seat vacated by former Councilman R. Kirk McPike, who won his own special election to fill the vacant 5th District seat in the House of Delegates.

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UPDATED: Virginia Supreme Court strikes down Democrats’ redrawn US House maps

By The Associated Press

Published May 8, 2026 at 11:00AM | Updated May 8, 2026 at 3:16PM

Voters at Mount Vernon Recreation Center in Del Ray on Election Day, Nov. 4, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday struck down a voter-approved Democratic congressional redistricting plan, delivering another major setback to the party in a nationwide battle against Republicans for an edge in this year’s midterm elections.

The court ruled 4-3 that the state’s Democratic-led legislature violated procedural requirements when it placed the constitutional amendment on the ballot to authorize mid-decade redistricting. Voters narrowly approved the amendment on April 21, but the court’s ruling renders the vote’s result meaningless.

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City Council special election winner Sandy Marks to be sworn in May 12

By James Cullum

Published April 24, 2026 at 12:30PM

Democrat Sandy Marks claims victory in the City Council special election (via James Minichello Photography)

Democrat Sandy Marks, the winner of the April 21 City Council special election, will be sworn into office Tuesday, May 12, according to the city.

Marks will get sworn in before City Council at some point during its legislative meeting at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center (4850 Mark Center Drive), the city confirmed to ALXnow. An exact time for the swearing-in ceremony has not been set, although it will be administered by Clerk of Court Greg Parks.

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Turnout tops 42% as redistricting vote, City Council race draw Alexandrians to polls

By James Cullum

Published April 21, 2026 at 3:55PM | Updated April 21, 2026 at 4:29PM

Charles Houston Recreation Center on Election Day, April 21, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

More than 42% of registered Alexandria voters have headed to the polls to vote on today’s congressional redistricting referendum and a special election for an open seat on Alexandria City Council.

As of 4 p.m., 19,183 voters cast in-person ballots across the city, in addition to 22,836 mail-in and in-person early ballots, adding up to 42,019 total ballots cast, according to figures released by Angie Maniglia Turner, the city’s general registrar and elections director. Turner said she is expecting gubernatorial-level turnout on the decision to amend Virginia’s Constitution to allow the General Assembly to temporarily redraw congressional maps for the upcoming election and resume the normal redistricting process after the 2030 U.S. Census.

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Alexandria’s Olivia Troye plans move to run for redrawn 7th Congressional District

By Emily Leayman

Published April 15, 2026 at 10:30AM

Olivia Troye, an Alexandria resident, announced a campaign for the 7th Congressional District (courtesy of Olivia Troye campaign)

Alexandria resident Olivia Troye, once part of the Trump administration, is joining the growing field of Democratic 7th Congressional District candidates running as Virginia voters consider redrawn districts.

Troye is a former career intelligence officer who served as an aide to former Vice President Mike Pence. She made national headlines after resigning from her post at the White House under President Donald Trump in 2020 and is now running as a Democrat in the 7th Congressional District.

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Spanberger signs Alexandria legislators’ bills on guns, immigration, national popular vote

By Emily Leayman

Published April 14, 2026 at 12:30PM | Updated April 14, 2026 at 1:43PM

(Left to right) Virginia House Majority Leader Del. Charniele Herring (D-4th), State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-39th) and Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-3rd) at the Alexandria Democratic Committee's Labor Day Picnic at The Garden Alexandria, 5380 Eisenhower Avenue, Sept. 1, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Numerous pieces of legislation from Alexandria lawmakers are officially set to become law or are heading back to the General Assembly with amendments after action by Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D).

Among the approximately 1,200 bills passed out of the 2026 session, legislation on guns, housing, the national popular vote, energy and immigration enforcement all came by way of state senators and delegates representing Alexandria. Most signed bills will take effect on July 1, 2026, unless otherwise specified.

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Alexandria City Council candidates face two forums this week as special election nears

By James Cullum

Published April 6, 2026 at 3:45PM

(Left to right) City Council candidates Alison O'Connell, Frank Fannon and Sandy Marks at the West End Business Association's forum at Feru Bar and Restaurant, March 25, 2026 (via Sandy Marks for the City/Facebook)

The three candidates running for an open seat on Alexandria City Council will meet in two forums this week.

For most voters, the upcoming appearances on Wednesday (April 8) and Saturday (April 11) are the last opportunity to see the candidates together before the special election on Tuesday, April 21. The candidates, who last appeared together at a forum on March 26, are Democratic candidate Sandy Marks and independent candidates Alison O’Connell and Frank Fannon.

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More than 9,000 early, mail ballots cast in Alexandria’s April 21 special election

By Emily Leayman

Published March 31, 2026 at 9:30AM | Updated March 31, 2026 at 9:56AM

Voters at Mount Vernon Recreation Center in Del Ray on Election Day, Nov. 4, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Three weeks before the April 21 special election, more than 9,000 votes have been cast through in-person early voting and mail ballots, according to the Alexandria Office of Voter Registration and Elections.

According to data through Sunday (March 29), 4,245 people have voted early in person. General Registrar Angie Maniglia Turner told ALXnow another 244 early votes were counted through 3:30 p.m. Monday (March 30).