Mayor Burk Claims Victory, Ogedegbe Holds Lead In School Board Race

LEESBURG, VA — All the votes casted on Election Day have been counted in Leesburg. However, candidates will continue to wait on mail-in ballots received after Election Day.

In Leesburg, voters had several races on the ballot. In addition to the 10th congressional district race, voters also selected their preferred candidates for the Loudoun County School Board and Leesburg Mayor.

With 13 of 14 precincts reporting, incumbent Mayor Kelly Burk holds a lead of nearly 3,000 v0tes, according to unofficial results. Erika Ogedegbe holds a lead in the school board race with more than 6,000 votes.

The votes left to be counted are absentee and mail-in ballots that were sent before Election Day but received on Wednesday or later. Mail-in votes can be counted as long as they are received by Monday, Nov. 14.

On Facebook, Burk posted a victory statement. "Thank you Leesburg for your support and ensuring Leesburg remains one of the best Towns in Virginia!"

Fox has not publicly conceded.

Refresh this page for the latest election results. See live results below.

Here are the candidates for the Leesburg races:

• Leesburg Mayor
  • Incumbent Kelly Burk
  • Suzanne Fox
• Leesburg District School Board Representative
  • Erika Ogedegbe
  • Michael Rivera
  • Lauren Shernoff

REAL-TIME RESULTS FOR LEESBURG MAYOR'S RACE

Be sure to refresh this page for the latest results. Can't see the widget below? Click here for results from the Virginia Department of Elections.

REAL-TIME RESULTS FOR LEESBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT RACE

Be sure to refresh this page for the latest results. Can't see the widget below? Click here for results from the Virginia Department of Elections.

In the race for Leesburg mayor, current Vice Mayor Suzanne Fox is running against incumbent Mayor Kelly Burk.

Burk's campaign is focused on economic development, resident involvement, and environmental sustainability, according to her website. Burk notes that she prioritizes input from residents and believes the town should start placing more emphasis on sustainability initiatives to cope with the effects of climate change.

Fox says she is running for mayor to help limit the "extreme partisanship" in Leesburg's local government, according to her campaign website. If elected, Fox says she would like to ensure Leesburg gets its "fair share" by bringing data centers and other revenue generators to the town.

"Simply put, Leesburg has been left behind," Fox said. "We have not enjoyed the same level of success as other communities have in the area."

The Leesburg seat on the Loudoun County School Board has been contentious in recent years. Former school board member Beth Barts resigned from her post in 2021. Her seat was then filled by Tom Marshall, who chose not to seek election. On Tuesday, voters will select one candidate to fill the seat.

None of the Leesburg school board candidates have political experience, but two of them have educational experience. Erika Ogedegbe currently works at American University as a Chief Data Architect. Lauren Shernoff works part-time at Loudoun County Public Schools as an English and language arts facilitator. Michael Rivera has previously worked in information technology and construction; he is now a deputy with the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office.

All three candidates have expressed dismay about the partisan nature of the current school board and the toxic and controversial atmosphere that has surrounded it in recent years.

"My observations are that school boards across the United States and in Virginia have lost their way and are motivated and guided by politics and ideologies as opposed to the well-being of students and the core mission of education," Rivera said on his website. "School board members should not seek to be defined by their political position lest they succumb to the inherent evils of politics."

Ogedegbe said the school board controversies are not truly indicative of Leesburg. She says she moved to the area due to its welcoming environment.

"Many people ask me why I am stepping forward when members of our community have faced harassment and actual death threats," Ogedegbe wrote on her website. "I know that is not who we are as a community and believe we all want the best education for our children."

Unofficial results are available on the Virginia Department of Elections website now that polls are closed.

Refresh for the latest results as votes are counted.