Fairfax City Elections: 2 Council Candidates Tied; Read Re-Elected

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — On Wednesday morning, the makeup of the next Fairfax City Council became a bit clearer, although some votes remain uncounted and two candidates are tied for the final city council seat, according to unofficial results reported by the Virginia Board of Elections.

Incumbent Catherine S. Read defeated challenger Susan Hartly Kuiler in the mayor's race.

In the city council race, Stacy R. Hall, Thomas D. "Tom" Peterson, Billy Bates, Stacey D. Hardy-Chandler, and Anthony T. Amos were the five candidates who received the most votes, according to unofficial results.

Kate Doyle Feingold and Rachel McQuillen were tied for the sixth city council seat, each garnering 5,120 votes (9.84%). The winner won’t be k until all the provisional and post-election ballots are counted.

Here are vote counts for the mayoral and city council races; * denotes an incumbent.

Fairfax City Mayor

• Catherine S. Read*: 7,710 votes (57.06%)
• Susan Hartley Kuiler: 5,1 75 votes (42.12%)
• Write-In: 100 votes (0.81%)

Fairfax City Council

• Stacy R. Hall: 5,922 votes (11.38%)
• Kate G. Doyle Feingold*: 5,120 votes (9.84%)
• Rachel M. McQuillen: 5,120 votes (9.84%)
• Amini Elizabeth Bonane: 1,893 votes (3.64%)
• Billy M. Bates*: 5,391 votes (10.36%)
• Jeffrey C. Greenfield*: 5,011 votes (9.63%)
• Stacey D. Hardy-Chandler: 5,376 votes (10.33%)
• Thomas D. "Tom" Peterson: 5,754 votes (11.05%)
• Anthony T. Amos: 5,192 votes (9.98%)
• Jack F. Ryan: 2,181 votes (4.19%)
• Taylor A. Geaghan: 4,812 votes (9.25%)
• Write-In: 227 votes (0.53%)

Provisional and post-election ballots are the only votes left to count. The first are ballots that voters cast if they were registering at the polls on Election Day. Post-election ballots are those that are postmarked by 7 p.m. on Nov. 5 and received by the local general registrar no later than 12 p.m. on the third day following Election Day, according to the state board of elections.

Ballots that have the correct postmark but are not received by the deadline will not be counted.

During the run-up to election day, much was made of the six candidates who teamed up to run on the Fairfax City Independent Ballot: Kuiler, Amos, Doyle Feingold, Greenfield, Hall, McQuillen, and Peterson.

If the way the votes stand and either Doyle Feingold or McQuillen wins the sixth seat on the city council, voters will have elected four Fairfax City Independent Ballot candidates and the City Democrats will have three candidates.

“I’m proud of our independent slate; 4 out of 7 made it into office,” said Kate Doyle Feingold Wednesday morning. “That’s really hard to do when a party makes our election partisan. Huge, huge credit for this win is due to Susan Kuiler’s hard work — truly. Great job team!”

Part of the discussion about endorsements included the four candidates endorsed by the City of Fairfax Democratic Committee: Read, Bates, Geaghan and Stacey Hardy-Chandler.

Julie Stokes, president of the City of Fairfax Democratic Committee, congratulated and thanked the candidates the City Democrats endorsed in 2024. Read her full statement at the bottom of this page.

"The City of Fairfax Democratic Committee congratulates Mayor Catherine Read and Council Member Billy Bates on their re-elections,” Stokes said, in an email to Patch. “We also congratulate first time candidate Stacy Hardy-Chandler on her election to the city council. A majority of the candidates we endorsed were elected and a majority of those recommended by Democratic Congressman Gerry Connolly were also elected to council. We are pleased that voters chose to vote their values for Democrats in the city of Fairfax once again. In the only local race between two candidates, the mayoral race, voters overwhelmingly chose to elect the Democrat, Mayor Catherine Read, who can now continue her amazing work for this city."

During the election, former state senator Chap Petersen not only endorsed the Fairfax City Independent Ballot, his Fairfax Commonsense Political Action Committee spent thousands of dollars on a Mason Dixon Poll, “Keep Fairfax City Independent " lawn signs and mailers advocating for the Fairfax City Independents.

On Wednesday afternoon, Patch received the following statement:

"On behalf of the Fairfax Commonsense PAC, we are very thankful to the voters of Fairfax City who elected four members of the nonpartisan "Independent" ticket to City Council yesterday, thus capturing a majority of the Council.

"The result was historic in many ways. First, it was the first election of a nonpartisan slate in the City since 1978. Second, it made the City the only jurisdiction in northern Virginia where the local Democratic committee tried and failed to gain control of the governing body, albeit one that is nonpartisan by charter.

"We congratulate the winners who were all first-time candidates: Stacy Hall, Tom Peterson, Anthony Amos and Rachel McQuillen. We also recognize the two incumbents, Jeff Greenfield and Kate Doyle Feingold, who were manifestly qualified but not re-elected. Jeff and Kate formed the idea for the Independent ticket earlier this year and deserve great credit for yesterday's successful result.

"Finally, we owe great thanks to Susan Kuiler who, as a first-time mayoral candidate, was out there every day campaigning both for herself and the Independent ticket. While Susan did not win on Election Day, she is a winner in her commitment to the team and our community.

"We look forward to the next two years of Independent leadership in Fairfax City."

The following are the statements submitted by candidates running for mayor and city council in 2024:

Mayor Catherine S. Read

“Thank you, Fairfax City! Yesterday, you have affirmed our shared commitment to a bright and inclusive future for our community. I am deeply honored by the trust you have placed in me, and I am grateful to every voter who participated in this historic election. Together, we have chosen a path forward based on our shared Democratic values of transparency, accountability, and a dedication to meaningful progress. This victory isn’t just for our campaign—it’s a victory for everyone who believes in a Fairfax City where every resident’s voice is heard and valued. We have shown that standing proudly by our values is what unites and empowers us. With this mandate, I am excited to work with our re-elected and newly elected council members to ensure we address the pressing needs of our city, from infrastructure to growth to community services. While I am very disappointed at the results at the national level, I know that we will continue to protect our progress at the local level and keep fighting for positive change. I would also like to acknowledge my opponent, Susan Kuiler, for running a strong campaign and thank her for her commitment to public service and for encouraging vital conversations about our city’s future. Now, it’s time to come together as one community and continue building a Fairfax City that we can all be proud of.”

Amini Elizabeth Bonane, City Council Candidate

“This election goes beyond just politics. I have come to realize that I am not a politician; I am a public servant. I set out to share the story of my late childhood best friend, Faisal, whose life was cut short when he should have been supported and provided with the tools to succeed as a young adult in this city. I trust our newly elected Council to fulfill their promises to help my hometown. I look forward to collaborating with residents, city staff, the Mayor, and Council to establish the City Fairfax's first-ever Youth Commission, to give young people a fighting chance.”

Stacy Hall, City Council Candidate

“Thank you to everyone who supported me throughout this campaign. Today, we’ve made history as the first majority group of independent candidates ever elected to City Council in the Commonwealth, proving that when we put people over politics, real change is possible. I am deeply honored by the trust you’ve placed in me, and I promise to lead with transparency, integrity, and a focus on what truly matters: working together for the future of our community. This victory isn’t just mine—it’s ours. I will continue to stand by my platform, “This is YOUR city, and YOUR voice matters” and I look forward to serving our great city in a new way.”

Anthony Amos, City Council Candidate

“I’m honored to be councilman-elect for the City of Fairfax. I want to assure all residents that I am community-focused and will be a voice for everyone. Whenever you need me, I’ll be there.”

Tom Peterson, City Council Candidate

“It is a great honor to have been elected to Fairfax City Council. I appreciate every vote that was cast for me, and I will do my utmost to live up to the highest needs of the office. Running for public office is a remarkable experience that gave me the opportunity to speak with thousands of residents who I might otherwise not have met. I can’t say enough about their sincerity, warmth, and insight. I’m grateful for the time so many took to share their thoughts and the guidance they provided my campaign. I’m also grateful for the openness and support I felt throughout the process. Like cities and towns across the US, the City of Fairfax will need to be at the top of its’ game in the next two years to protect and advance our priorities. There is no mistaking we have a lot of work ahead as well as a wonderful chance to work together to make it happen.”

Thanks for all of your coverage. I think people really appreciated it.

Laura Stokes, president of the City of Fairfax Democratic Committee

"The City of Fairfax Democratic Committee congratulates Mayor Catherine Read and Council Member Billy Bates on their re-elections. We also congratulate first time candidate Stacy Hardy-Chandler on her election to the city council. A majority of the candidates we endorsed were elected and a majority of those recommended by Democratic Congressman Gerry Connolly were also elected to council. We are pleased that voters chose to vote their values for Democrats in the city of Fairfax once again. In the only local race between two candidates, the mayoral race, voters overwhelmingly chose to elect the Democrat, Mayor Catherine Read, who can now continue her amazing work for this city.

The Committee would also like to commend candidate Taylor Geaghan for a race well run. Taylor worked extremely hard as a candidate and we were so impressed and honored to work alongside her. We would also like to thank all of our volunteers, both in the city and the county, who came out to help Democrats up and down the ballot.

While the news about the presidential race is disappointing, the City Dems remain committed to fighting for the values that we treasure the most: equity, environmental stewardship, smart growth, a safe and welcoming city for all, access to housing, commitment to celebrating our diversity, fighting for working families and more. We will get back to work soon to help elect a Democrat for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and more in 2025 - we invite every city resident who shares our values to join us and help us preserve our progress in Virginia. You can learn more and join the committee at https://www.cityfairfaxdems.com."