Fairfax, VAVoter Guide 2026 · not a ballot

Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Fairfax Mayor & City Council Election 2026

6 of 6

council seats up

2 contests

13 candidates

Updated Oct 5, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check →

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

Mayor · 1 seat

City Council · Vote for up to 6

All six council seats and the mayor's office are on this ballot; voters choose up to six of 11 council candidates and one of two mayoral candidates.

3 notes on these statements

Mayor Catherine Read is not seeking reelection. FFXnow · Jan 14, 2026

Patch reports that the City of Fairfax Democratic Committee recommended Kirsten Sides Lockhart for mayor and Anthony T. Amos, Sandi W. Slappey Brown, María José Padmore and Kelly M. O'Brien for council. Patch · Aug 19, 2026

Patch reports that Thomas D. "Tom" Peterson, Stacy R. Hall, Rachel M. McQuillen, Susan Hartley Kuiler, Jessica L. Lough and Steve S. Chang are coordinating their campaigns as a "Common Ground" group. Patch · Aug 20, 2026

Start here

Match quiz5 questions · answers stay on your phoneSeat the CouncilPick winners, see the councilWhat council decidesTaxes, the meals tax and the budget, School and transit sales-tax referendum, Willard-Sherwood Health and Community CenterKey datesDeadlines and vote centers

Get your Fairfax ballot cheat-sheet

Candidates, positions and dates in one email, sent now.

One email now. We only email again if you ask. No ads, never sold.

Next date

Last day to apply for a by-mail ballot

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

All key dates

What the next council decides

Taxes, the meals tax and the budget

Where it standsIn May 2026 the council adopted the fiscal 2027 budget unanimously, raised the meals-tax rate from 4% to 4.5% on a 4-2 vote, and set the real estate rate at $1.0725 per $100.

What's on the tableThe next council adopts the fiscal 2028 budget and sets tax rates.

  • The meals-tax rate rose from 4% to 4.5% effective July 1, 2026; the measure passed 4-2, with Hall and McQuillen opposed. Patch · Sep 24, 2026
  • The adopted real estate tax rate is $1.0725 per $100 of assessed value, with an estimated impact for the average homeowner of $462.50 a year. City of Fairfax
  • Both the fiscal 2026 and fiscal 2027 budget votes were unanimous. Patch · Sep 24, 2026

School and transit sales-tax referendum

Where it standsA sales tax of up to 1% for school and/or public transportation capital projects is on the Nov. 3 ballot.

What's on the tableVoters decide whether the tax is authorized; the council's July 2026 vote only requested the referendum.

  • The ballot asks whether the city may levy a general retail sales tax at a rate not to exceed one percent, as determined by the City Council. City of Fairfax
  • The ballot language limits the revenue to school construction or renovation projects, public transportation purposes, or both. City of Fairfax
  • Council members Hall, McQuillen, Amos and Peterson all supported the July 2026 request for the November referendum, which is a request and not approval of the tax. Patch · Sep 24, 2026

Willard-Sherwood Health and Community Center

Where it standsThe council authorized construction in April 2026, excluding an optional performing-arts renovation and addition at Sherwood.

What's on the tableThe next council oversees the project and its funding after the April 2026 authorization.

  • The joint city-county project would replace the Joseph Willard Health Center and connect the new building to the existing Sherwood Center. Patch · Sep 24, 2026
  • The council took six land-use and design votes on the project in October 2025. Patch · Sep 24, 2026
  • The April 2026 authorization to proceed with construction and amend the joint development agreement passed unanimously. Patch · Sep 24, 2026
  • McQuillen wrote that stronger financial planning reduced the project's projected real-estate-tax impact from 9.7 cents to 4.33 cents. Patch · Sep 16, 2026

George Snyder Trail

Where it standsThe council canceled the trail in January 2026 and has begun repaying the state the funding already spent.

What's on the tableThe next council budgets the second repayment installment in fiscal 2028.

  • The city had received $20.6 million in I-66 Outside the Beltway concession funding, but construction bids exceeded the $16 million remaining. Patch · Sep 24, 2026
  • A request for an additional $4.6 million failed 3-3 on Jan. 13, 2026, and cancellation then passed 4-2. Patch · Sep 24, 2026
  • The city is repaying the funding in two installments: $1.1 million paid in July 2026 and $2.4 million to be budgeted in fiscal 2028 and paid in July 2027. Patch · Sep 24, 2026

Housing and redevelopment

Where it standsThe council approved a detached accessory dwelling unit ordinance 4-2 in July 2026 and the Highlands at Mantua rezoning 4-2 in September 2026.

What's on the tableThe next council votes on pending development applications and zoning changes.

  • The accessory dwelling unit ordinance passed 4-2 after a motion to postpone it failed 3-3. Patch · Sep 24, 2026
  • The council approved the Highlands at Mantua rezoning and design certificate 4-2, with Hall and McQuillen opposed. Patch · Sep 24, 2026
  • Peterson wrote that the city's four Small Area Plans include benchmarks totaling approximately 4,700 additional housing units. Patch · Sep 17, 2026
  • Brown wrote that at last count 24 significant development projects were in some stage of development. Patch · Sep 14, 2026

Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

  1. 1. Should the city raise the meals-tax rate to help balance the budget?

  2. 2. What should the city do about George Snyder Trail?

  3. 3. Should the council approve the Willard-Sherwood Health and Community Center's land-use and design requests?

  4. 4. Should the city allow detached accessory dwelling units on residential lots?

  5. 5. How should the council handle the Highlands at Mantua townhome rezoning?

Seat the Council →

Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.

Key dates

The seat math

0 stay (not up this year): 6 on this ballot

6 council seats plus a mayor who doesn't vote on council items. The council decides by a 4-vote majority.

Every claim here links to its source and was checked against it before publishing. How this guide works →

Take your ballot with you

Who is on your ballot, where each candidate stands, and the dates that matter, in one email you can carry to the polls. Sent right now.

One email now. We only email again if you ask. No ads, never sold.

See something wrong? Report an error

Something wrong or missing? Tell us what and where, with a link to a source if you have one. Reports feed the next verification run.