Quiroz Wins 3-Way Democratic Primary For Arlington County Sheriff

ARLINGTON, VA — Acting Arlington County Sheriff Jose Quiroz won the Democratic primary for Arlington County Sheriff, according to unofficial results

Quiros won with 40 percent of the vote, while retired sheriff's office official Wanda Younger won 33 percent and Arlington County Police Corporal James Herring received 29 percent of the vote in the three-way race, according to preliminary election results.

See live election results for local races at the bottom of this story.

Quiroz succeeded Arlington County Sheriff Beth Arthur when she retired in January.

Paul Larson, who lives in Madison Manor and served as chief deputy of the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office before retiring in 2017, was campaigning for Quiroz on Tuesday morning outside the Overlee Knolls and Lexington precincts in Arlington.

Larson said he helped Quiroz come up through the ranks in the sheriff's office and believes he is a good person and will do a good job if elected sheriff.

Regarding some of the negative campaigning aspects of the sheriff's race, Larson said he prefers the more positive policy discussions that have occurred during the campaign, "which I think both Jose and James have done."

In the last seven years, seven men have died while in the Arlington County jail, six of whom were Black. On the campaign trail, each candidate said their policies could help save the lives of those detained in jail, which is overseen by the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office.

Quiroz has said he is bringing in biometric sensors that will allow staff to respond to medical emergencies.

"With today's technology, it's going to be easier to respond to medical emergencies," Larson said.

However, Larson said that staffing remains a major concern at the Arlington County jail. "The primary issue is the staffing struggles, to have enough people in the right places," he said. "I think Jose can bring in a different element to the sheriff's office."

Bruce Hanson, the varsity head football coach at Yorktown High School for the past 35 years, was campaigning for Herring outside the Overlee Knolls and Lexington precincts on Tuesday. Hanson coached Herring more than 15 years ago, when he was an offensive tackle on the Yorktown football team.

"James has a great resume," Hanson said. "He was a police officer in D.C. and a policeman here in Arlington. What I've heard is that he's supposed to be a little tougher on crime."

Hanson said his volunteering at the polls for Herring on Tuesday is the first time he has volunteered for a political campaign.

In her campaign, Younger has said she will prioritize the improvement of mental health services within the Arlington County Detention Facility, including implementing specialized training for staff on de-escalation techniques and crisis intervention, and developing comprehensive mental health screening and treatment programs.

RELATED:

• 2023 Candidate Profile: Jose Quiroz For Arlington County Sheriff
• 2023 Candidate Profile: Wanda Younger For Arlington County Sheriff
• 2023 Candidate Profile: James Herring For Arlington County Sheriff

View unofficial election results for Arlington County below. Be sure to refresh this page for the latest.