June 16 Blog: Election Day – Tomorrow Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Dear Friends:

With the Federal government in turmoil, local government will continue to serve as a vital force for stability and progress. Indeed, it may be the only functioning government we have for a while. And even local government is under attack now. The assassinations in Minnesota made this chillingly clear.

Therefore, it is more important than ever to vote in our local and statewide elections and support democracy at all levels. Tomorrow, June 17, 2025, is the Democratic Primary Election. Polls open at 6:00 am and close at 7:00 pm. There are 2 Democratic Primary ballots depending on where you live for the Democratic Primary. To find your district, you can look up your voter record online.

For information about where to vote and a slate of candidates, please see this link: https://vote.arlingtonva.gov/Elections

I am endorsing the following candidates:

Lieutenant Governor: Levar Stoney

I wanted you to know that I have given my support to Levar Stoney for Lieutenant Governor. I have known Levar for over 20 years.

I like Levar as a person and especially appreciate the local perspective he will give to the office from his experience as Mayor of Richmond. My years on the County Board and School Board showed me how difficult it can be to work with state officials who do not understand or appreciate local government and the hard work of local elected officials. Levar has always been sympathetic and understanding of our work in Arlington. He stands up for what is right.

You may wish to read the questions put to the Lt. Governor candidates by WAMU.

House of Delegates - District 1: Arjoon Srikanth

Usually, my default in selecting a candidate to support is the incumbent, but not in this case. I appreciate Patrick Hope’s years of service. He’s done a lot of good over the years, passing good legislation and voting reliably for Democratic values. 

But in my last several years on the County Board I found Patrick increasingly difficult to work with as he would put in legislation without consulting the County Board or our staff. This meant we had to scramble to either stop or improve a bill that would create headaches for us and seemed not thoroughly thought through. I have not talked directly with Patrick for some time now, but I did not see any awareness regarding this issue in his questionnaire responses. We are facing unprecedented stress from the Federal level and it is important that the County has a mutual respect and partnership with our legislative team in Richmond.

I am happy to endorse Arjoon Srikanth. Elections are always about the future, but we are in a moment that none of us has experienced or asked for. With rising authoritarianism, economic uncertainty, and a fragile social fabric, we need leaders who can meet the moment we are in. We need leaders who don’t just know the process, but can rethink it. We need urgency, humility, and a willingness to build bridges with both community and colleagues. From our interactions with him and his questionnaire responses, I believe that is what Arjoon Srikanth will bring to the table. Arjoon is a first-generation American, a technologist, and a thoughtful listener. He's been impacted by Musk’s and Trump's policies and layoffs. His background isn’t rooted in traditional politics; it’s rooted in problem-solving.

Please see my website for questionnaire answers from all 3 candidates running for HD-1: https://www.libbyslocallist.com/team-3

Regarding Sean Epstein, we are glad he is running, however, at this time, we believe he lacks the more in-depth understanding and vision the Virginia House of Delegates work requires.

Arlington County Board: Takis Karantonis

Obviously, I know my former colleague Takis Karantonis quite well. While I do not always agree with Takis, he is head and shoulders above James DaVita who is his challenger.

Attorney General: No Endorsement

The Democratic primary for Attorney General features two impressive candidates: former Delegate Jay Jones and Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor. Both bring deep experience, strong records on public safety, and are well-regarded by their peers. I believe either would serve Virginia well. 

I hope this information is helpful to my Arlington readers. Feel free to let me know if you have any questions. In my next blog, I’ll report on “No Kings Day” (June 14) and what is planned next.

Yours in peaceful resistance,  

Libby