NOVA Forward Focus

Locally Informed and Engaged in Northern Virginia

We aim to make well-informed local civic engagement easy by empowering you with regular updates about the top things going on in NOVA, with a particular focus on political reform, ethics in politics, and other topics relevant to the Forward Party movement.

 

Some Thoughts to Kick Us Off

June was a big month for elections in Northern Virginia and a reminder of why we need non-partisan primaries. In addition to the regular mid-June primaries for local and statewide offices (see our last edition), there were special late-June “firehouse” primaries for Virginia’s 11th Congressional District (Fairfax County) in the U.S. House of Representatives. That seat has, of course, been vacant since long-time Democratic congressman Gerry Connolly died in office earlier this year.

Several Forward Party supporters who participated in the Democratic firehouse primary expressed frustration at the requirement to sign a pledge promising that they “do not intend to support, endorse, or assist any candidate who is opposed to” the Democratic nominee in the general election.” In a heavily Democratic district, participating in the Democratic firehouse primary was, after all, the most effective way for voters to weigh in on who will represent them (and perhaps for the next decade or more, if the incumbency advantages that Connolly enjoyed continue to be the norm). Why should they only be allowed to have a voice in candidate selection if they pledged allegiance to a party?

We as Forwardists believe that all primaries should be non-partisan and should be government-run: all the candidates run together in the same primary and all the voters get a voice in who will make it on to the general election. The firehouse primary with its frustrating pledge was a striking reminder of the cracks in our broken two-party system and why the work we’re doing to try to fix them is so important.

-- Madison Taggart (née Granger), NOVA Forward Party Chair

 

VA Forward Happenings

Independence Day Fireside Chat with Dr. Colita Fairfax (Forward Party in VA)

As we mark the 249th anniversary of American independence, the Forward Party in Virginia invites you to a powerful and timely conversation about the state of our nation—its promise, its pain, and its future.

 

 

Local Politics

Appeals court flip-flops on Missing Middle, striking down ordinance once again (ARLNow) In a dramatic reversal—on one of the biggest political issues in Arlington in recent years—an appeals court has once again struck down the "Missing Middle" housing ordinance. This adds another layer of uncertainty to the policy, which was adopted by the county board in 2023, before being struck down in 2024 when the court sided with a group of homeowners who sued the county. The NOVA Forward Party sees this whiplash as an example of the dysfunction that comes from one-sided government and advocates for housing solutions that are built on more effective compromise.

County negotiations on development projects need more transparency, group argues (ARLNow) The Arlington County Civic Federation is advocating for increased public transparency in the county's negotiation processes for new development projects, citing frustration over ways in which deals negotiated behind closed doors don’t optimally benefit the community. NOVA Forward Party hopes the county will take steps towards accommodating this request for greater transparency.

County Board candidates start plotting ranked-choice election strategies (ARLNow) With the election approaching, candidates for the Arlington County Board are beginning to develop and discuss their strategies for the ranked-choice voting contest. Arlington was the first locality in Virginia to adopt RCV, which many in our group have advocated for. We hope to see it continue to be used and believe it will continue shifting candidate perspectives and strategies for the better with each additional year they have to get used to it.

 

State Politics

Electoral college reform group eyes Virginia’s elections with hope (Virginia Mercury) The bipartisan network National Popular Vote is watching Virginia's upcoming elections to see if the results could influence the state to join the growing coalition of states supporting a nationwide popular vote for president.

State’s first-ever audit of campaign finance report leaves many questions unanswered (Cardinal News) After seven candidates from 2024 were randomly selected for Virginia's first campaign finance audits, the Department of Elections stated the review revealed limitations in the documentation it is legally able to request. These are the tricky hurdles that governments navigate when trying to enforce campaign finance law but NOVA Forward supports continued efforts to refine this process for the betterment of our elections.

 

Intersection of Local, State, & National

Opinion: Two Virginia districts would be good targets for Musk’s new party, but what he really needs is ranked choice voting (Cardinal News) This opinion piece discusses the potential for new political movements in Virginia and makes the case for ranked-choice voting as a necessary reform.

Data Resource: “No-show” elections: 10,000 open seats in 2024 had zero candidates (Ballot Ready) This data analysis found that in 2024, Virginia had 354 open seats with no candidates in the primaries. Virginia Forwardists hope to help bring healthy competition to elections at all levels in our state.

‘Felt hopeless': Virginia family frightened by armed bondsman making late night immigration arrest (NBC Washington) This story details a frightening encounter where a Virginia family was subjected to a late-night immigration arrest by an armed bondsman, a reminder that the impacts of federal immigration policies are playing out in our communities.

Beyer announces reelection bid, pledging to wield influence to keep fighting Trump (ARLNow) With Rep. Don Beyer running for his seventh consecutive term, it seems like a good time for a serious conversation about term limits. Particularly in light of the recent political chaos in Northern Virginia from the death-in-office of long-term congressman Gerry Connolly.

State News Highlights

Education

Economy

Immigration

Local Round-Up

Education

Economy

Upcoming Events

Come and join us for our upcoming events!

Next NOVA Forward Party Monthly Social

  • When: Friday July 18, 2025
  • Where: Mason Social, Alexandria
  • RSVP: Click Here

Next NOVA Forward Party Monthly Meeting

  • When: Thursday July 24, 2025
  • Where: Virtual
  • RSVP: Click Here