Keys-Gamarra Wins District 7 House Of Delegates Race: AP

Updated 10:25 p.m.

RESTON, VA — With an estimated 86.7 percent of the vote counted, the Associated Press declared Karen Keys-Gamarra the unofficial winner of the District 7 race for the Virginia House of Delegates.

Keys-Gamarra had 2,795 votes (36.91 percent) compared to Paul Berry's 2,146 (28.34 percent), Shyamali Roy Hauth's 2,002 (26.44 percent) and Mary Barthelson's 630 (8.32 percent), according to unofficial results.

Polls in Fairfax County closed at 7 p.m. and the votes are being counted in the 2023 Democratic primary.

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

In Reston, voters cast ballots on Tuesday to determine which of the four Democrats running to fill the vacant House of Delegates seat in District 7 will be on the November ballot.

Voting was light at the Reston Community Center Lake Anne polling place by midday Tuesday.

"We have a under 100 voters at this point, but it's probably as well as we can expect for a primary," said Gail Shor, the precinct's chief election officer. "Now that we have early voting, a lot of people like to vote early."

Before the polls opened at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, 33,235 ballots had already been cast countywide in the primary either through early voting or by absentee, according to the office of elections.

In February, incumbent Del. Ken Plum, who has represented Reston in the house of delegates for more than 40 years, announced he would not be seeking reelection.

Five local Democrats almost immediately announced their intention to run for Plum's seat, including Mary Barthelson, a space engineer; Paul Berry, an educator with 20 years of experience; Shyamali Hauth, former legislative adviser for Hunter Mill District Supervisor Walter Alcorn; and Fairfax County School Board Member Karen Keys-Gamarra.

Attorney John Farrell also threw his hat in the ring, but he later withdrew in order to concentrate on his campaign for an at-large seat on the Reston Association Board of Directors. Farrell won that race and was later elected RA Board president.

Related:

• Paul Berry Raises More Money Than 3 Democratic Primary Opponents
• Watch Virtual Candidate Forum In District 7 House Of Delegates Race
• House Of Delegates Candidates In District 7 Square Off At Reston Forum
• Shyamali Hauth Outraised 3 Opponents In Democratic Primary Race

The winner of Tuesday's primary will represent the Democratic Party on the Nov. 7 ballot. No Republican candidate has filed to run in the District 7 race. Candidates had to file by 7 p.m., on Tuesday if they intend to be on the ballot in the November. Political parties have a June 26 filing deadline.

Reston residents also voted for candidates running in the sheriff, commonwealth's attorney and chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors races.

Three countywide races were also on Tuesday's ballot: Board of Supervisors Chair Jeff McKay and Lisa Downing; Commonwealth Attorney Steve Descano and Ed Nutall; and Sheriff Stacey Kincaid and Kelvin Garcia.

The winners of the chairman and sheriff's races will face Republican Arthur Purves and independent Jerry Lee McMillian, respectively, in November.

Here are the Democratic candidates Reston voters got to choose from on Tuesday:

Virginia House of Delegates

District 7:

• Mary Barthelson
• Paul Berry
• Shyamali Hauth
• Karen Keys-Gamarra

Chairman of Board of Supervisors

• Jeff McKay
• Lisa Downing

Commonwealth Attorney:

• Steve Descano
• Ed Nutall

Sheriff:

• Stacey Kincaid
• Kelvin Garcia

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