Fairfax County Chairman Primary Election: Descano Faces Challenger Nuttall

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Fairfax County voters will cast ballots in primary elections for commonwealth's attorney and other races on Tuesday. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The Tuesday, June 20 primary election features Democratic primaries for races with multiple candidates. All Fairfax County registered voters can cast a ballot in the Democratic primaries for Board of Supervisors chairman, Fairfax County commonwealth's attorney and sheriff. There are also primary elections in the Dranesville, Mason, Mount Vernon and Springfield Board of Supervisors districts. Select areas will have primaries for Virginia House and Senate districts.

No Republican primary elections are being held in Fairfax County.

One of the races all Fairfax County voters will have on the ballot is commonwealth's attorney, the prosecutor for Fairfax County and Fairfax City. First-term incumbent Steve Descano faces challenger Ed Nuttall.

Descano is a progressive-minded prosecutor who unseated former Commonwealth's Attorney Ray Morrogh with a win in the 2019 primary election. Descano has worked on a diversion program, opposed prosecution of marijuana possession, opposing the death penalty, and implemented bail reforms to release people not considered to be a danger to the public before trial. Descano has been endorsed by Democratic leaders such as Rep. Gerry Connolly, Rep. Don Beyer, Minority Leader Don Scott, five Fairfax County Board of Supervisors members and more.

Nuttall is a lawyer who has been critical of Descano's work in the top prosecutor position. Nuttall's campaign priorities include modifying discovery protocol to avoid cases being dismissed due to missed deadlines, a mental health docket in Fairfax County Circuit Court and Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, expanding Drug Court in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, replacing social media and public information staff with a senior lawyer or retired judge to provide prosecutor training and victim services coordinator, and introducing community outreach programs.

As of 9:51 a.m., the Fairfax County Office of Elections reported an estimated 0.8 percent turnout at polling places and 4.6 percent from early voting.

How to Vote on Election Day

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, June 20. To check your polling place, visit the Virginia Department of Elections citizens portal.

To see a polling places by supervisor district, visit the Fairfax County Office of Elections website.

More information about voting in Fairfax City is available online.

An acceptable form of identification is required to vote in person.

The deadline to register to vote or update your address was May 30. Voters who register after the May 30 registration and will be allowed to cast a provisional ballot on Election Day. You can check your registration status on the Virginia Department of Elections citizens portal.

A Note On Early Voting

Early voting wraps up Saturday, June 17. There are 16 early voting locations in Fairfax County open through June 17. An acceptable form of identification is required for in-person voting.

For those who requested a mail-in ballot, it must be returned in person by 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 20 or postmarked on or before June 20. The mail must be received by the Fairfax County Office of Elections before noon on Friday, June 23.

Mail-in ballots may be returned by mail, to the secure drop box 24/7 in front of the Fairfax County Government Center (12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA), at early voting locations during voting hours through June 17, or on Election Day at polling places between 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Where to Find Election Results

Unofficial election results will start to come in after polls close at 7 p.m. on the Virginia Department of Elections website. Follow Patch on Election Day for live coverage of Fairfax County primary election results.