Sizemore Heizer wins the Democratic primary for Braddock supervisor

*Rep. James Walkinshaw (left) and Board of Supervisors Chair Jeffrey McKay celebrate with Rachna Sizemore Heizer after her primary victory. [Linda Silver Bufano]*

Rachna Sizemore Heizer has won the Braddock District Primary on Oct. 5, making her the Democratic nominee for the Braddock seat on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

Sizemore Heizer, the Braddock member of the Fairfax County School Board, will face off against Republican candidate Ken Balbuena in a special election on Dec. 9.

The Fairfax County Democratic Committee, which conducted the Braddock District Special Firehouse Primary, announced Oct. 5 that Sizemore Heizer won with 60 percent of the vote, beating three other candidates.

At-large school board member Ilryong Moon came in second with 22 percent of the vote. Sabrina Mattin, a leader of the Fairfax County Young Democrats, got 13.5 percent, and April Pavis-Schroeder, a librarian, got nearly 5 percent. A total of 3,409 votes were cast.

The Braddock seat on the Board of Supervisors has been vacant since James Walkinshaw resigned after being elected to Congress on Sept. 9.

Voting in the primary was scheduled for Oct. 2-4 and was later extended to Oct. 5 due to a software glitch that caused some voters to spend hours waiting in line.

This was the first time the Fairfax County Democratic Committee used ranked choice voting in an election. Since Sizemore Heizer secured 60 percent of the vote in the first round, there was no need for a second round.

UpVote Virginia, an organization that advocates for ranked choice voting, says the technical issue was unrelated to ranked choice voting, but was caused by “high voter turnout that exceeded the capacity of the third-party software platform used for ballot collection.”

Sizemore Heizer told her supporters at a small gathering following her victory: “Your passion, your trust, and your support when we knocked on your doors, called, texted, or met you out in the community – that is what made this possible. I thank you.”

“I know what it means to face challenges and fight for your family,” she said in a post-election statement. “I was born to immigrant parents who came here with almost nothing, and when I entered kindergarten speaking no English, my mother – who broke barriers in STEM – taught me to work hard and never give up. My journey has always been about turning struggle into strength and serving my community that supported my family when I most needed it.”

“I promise to lead with integrity, accountability, and transparency,” Sizemore Heizer said. “I’ll build on my proven record of delivering on promises, bringing people together, and standing firm against extremists trying to divide our community.”

“I will work to ensure that Braddock is a place of opportunity – with safe neighborhoods, affordable housing, strong public schools, good parks – and continue the legacy of responsive service for every Braddock resident,” she continued. “I’ll stand up for our public servants and our federal workforce while building a strong local economy with fair wages and good jobs.”

Early voting for the special election starts Oct. 24. Only residents of the Braddock District can vote.