Crowded House Of Delegates Race In Reston Adds Another Candidate

RESTON, VA — John Farrell, an at-large member of the Reston Association Board of Directors, told Patch on Wednesday that he had filed the organizational paperwork to become a candidate for the open House of Delegates seat in District 7.

Farrell joins an already crowded race to succeed incumbent Del. Ken Plum (D-36), who told Patch on Tuesday that he was not seeking re-election in November.

Earlier on Wednesday, Paul Berry, Shyamali Roy Hauth, and Mary Barthelson all announced that they were running in District 7 as well. All four candidates will square off in the June 20 Democratic Party Primary. No Republican has thrown their hat in the District 7 race so far.

"If elected, the first bill I will file will be for the General Assembly to grant a city charter for Reston," Farrell said, in an exclusive phone interview with Patch. "For too long, Reston has not been given proper care and feeding by the county. It's time for Reston to chart its own destiny."

Last May, the RA Board chose Farrell to fill the seat vacated by former at-large Boardmember Tim Dowling. Previously, the board appointed him to be the vice chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee.

Earlier this year, Farrell announced he was running to fill the open at-large seat (three-year term) on the RA Board. He said on Wednesday that it was too late to withdraw and he intended to run as a candidate in both races.

Farrell has experience as the president of the Colonial Oaks Homeowners Association, as well as previously serving as the president of both the Fairfax Girls Softball League and the Candlelighters' Childhood Cancer Foundation. In March 2021, he ran in the annual board election for an open at-large seat.

Farrell is an attorney at McCandlish Lillard, specializing in land-use.

In 2022, he successfully represented Fairfax City Council Member-elect Billy M. Bates in the dismissal of a petition calling for a recount of the Nov. 8 city council race. The petition was filed in Fairfax County Circuit Court on behalf of Anahita N. "Ana" Renner, whom Bates defeated by a margin of 15 votes for the final seat on the council.

Voters will head to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 7, to choose candidates running for the Virginia House of Delegates, the Virginia Senate, the Commonwealth's Attorney, Clerk of the Fairfax Circuit Court, Fairfax County Sheriff, Chairman of Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, District Members of the Board of Supervisors, At-Large Members of the Fairfax County School Board, District Members of the School board, and Directors (vote for 3) of the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District.

Early voting for the June 20 Democratic Party primary begins on May 6. Voters must register by May 29 to be eligible to vote in the June 20 primary. The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot for the Democratic primary is June 9.

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