2021 Primary Voter Guide
Introduction
The Albemarle-Charlottesville NAACP Branch is committed to informing our community about important issues and ensuring that public participation is accessible to all. The following statement of objectives is found on the first page of the NAACP Constitution outlining our principal goals:
- To ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of all citizens
- To achieve equality of rights and eliminate race prejudice among the citizens of the United States
- To remove all barriers of racial discrimination through democratic processes
- To seek enactment and enforcement of federal, state, and local laws securing civil rights
- To inform the public of the adverse effects of racial discrimination and to seek its elimination
- To educate persons as to their constitutional rights and to take all lawful action to secure the exercise thereof, and to take any other lawful action in furtherance of these objectives, consistent with the NAACP’s Articles of Incorporation and this Constitution.
In light of those goals, we have prepared this 2021 Primary Voter Guide to inform local voters of the choices available to them in this year’s primary elections, and encourage you to use this information to get informed and get involved.
The 2021 Primary Elections
The Democratic Party will hold a primary election at regular polling locations on June 8 from 6am-7pm to select its candidates for statewide and local offices. Early voting (absentee in-person) begins April 24 and runs through June 5. All voters who intend to vote Democratic in November can participate in the primary. The last day to register to vote in the June 8 primary is May 17.
The Republican Party will select its 2021 candidates by a convention on May 8, with voting by delegates in each Congressional District. The 5th Congressional District will have four voting locations. A full description of the Republican Convention process can be found at https://virginia.gop/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/2021-03-12-2021-Convention-Call.pdf.
For more information, including other voter guides and voter registration information, click here or go to the More Resources section at the end of this 2021 Primary Voter Guide.
Who’s Running
The offices on the 2021 primary ballot in Albemarle County
and Charlottesville are listed below. You can jump to the lists of candidates
by clicking on the appropriate office, or just scroll down.
Charlottesville City Council (Democrats)
Charlottesville
Commonwealth’s Attorney Democrats
Other offices, including State Delegate, Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, and other local offices, are not contested in the primary, and will appear on the general election ballot on November 2. Independent candidates will also appear on the November ballot.
Candidates for Governor
Offices Held – State Delegate, VA. 2nd District 2017-2020
Occupation: Attorney, Public Defender
Offices Held – State Delegate Virginia, 50th 2018-Present
Occupation: IT Specialist
Offices Held – Lieutenant Governor, 2018-Present
Occupation: Attorney
Offices Held – State Senator, VA. 9th , 2018-Present
State Delegate, VA. 71st 2006-2017
Occupation: Attorney
Offices Held – Virginia Governor 2014-2018
Occupation: Entrepreneur
Republicans
Offices Held – State Senator, VA.11th – 2016 – Present
Occupation: Financial Planner
Offices Held – State Delegate , VA. 66th 1990 – Present
Occupation: Former High School Teacher
Occupation: U.S. Army Colonel, ret., former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
Peter Doran
Occupation: Political Analyst
Offices Held – Roanoke Sheriff – 2006-2013
Occupation: Law Enforcement, retired
Pete Snyder
Occupation: Tech Entrepreneur, FOX Commentator
Occupation: CEO, The Carlyle Group investment company
Candidates for Lieutenant Governor
Democrats
Haya Ayala
Offices Held – State Delegate, VA. 51st 2018-Present
Occupation: Cybersecurity Specialist
Mark Levine
Offices Held – State Delegate, VA. 45th, 2016-Present
Occupation: Attorney, Television Commentator
Andria McClellan
Offices Held – Norfolk City Council Member, 2017-Present
Occupation: Entrepreneur
Offices Held – President, Fairfax Co. NAACP
Occupation: Attorney, Director of Social Impact, Internet Association
Offices Held – State Delegate, VA. 11th, 2014-Present
Occupation: Health Care Advocate
Xavier Warren
Occupation: Small Business Owner
Withdrawn: Elizabeth Guzman
Occupation: Business Consultant
Occupation: Security Company Executive
Offices Held – Virginia Beach City Council Member, 2009-2013
State Delegate, VA. 84th, 2014-Present
Occupation: Telecommunications Company Executive
Offices Held – State Delegate, VA. 40th, 2003-2020
Occupation: Tax Preparation Association Executive Director
Occupation: President and CEO, Securus Capital
Offices Held – State Delegate, VA. 90th, 2002-2004
Occupation: Electrician, Homeless Shelter Director
Candidates for Attorney General
Offices Held – Member, Loudon County Board of Supervisors, 2000-2003
State Senator, VA. 33rd, 2006-20014
Virginia Attorney General – 2014-Present
Occupation: Attorney
Offices Held – State Delegate, VA. 89th, 2018-Present
Occupation: Attorney
Offices Held – Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors, 2016-Present
Occupation: Attorney
Offices Held – State Delegate, VA. 82nd, 2016-Present
Occupation: Real Estate Broker, Former Prosecutor
Occupation: Attorney
Jack White
Occupation: Attorney
Candidates for Charlottesville City Council (for two open seats)
Democrats
Occupation: Non-profit Program Manager
Occupation: Mechanical Engineer, Project Manager
Offices Held – Charlottesville School Board, 2006-Present
Occupation: Career Coordinator, Transportation Planner
Candidates for Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney
Offices Held: Commonwealth’s Attorney 2018-Present
Occupation: Attorney
Ray Szwabowski
Occupation: Attorney, Public Defender
For information about registering to vote or hosting a voter registration drive, contact the Albemarle-Charlottesville NAACP Voter Registration Coordinator at 434-987-1042, kszakos@gmail.com.
You can access voter registration, find your polling place, apply to vote absentee, or check your registration status at https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation or by calling your local registrar.
More information about voting and elections is available from the local voter registration offices: Albemarle County – 434-970-3250; Charlottesville – 434-972-4173, as well as from the State Department of Elections at https://www.elections.virginia.gov.
Charlottesville Tomorrow 2021 Voter Guide
Democratic State Delegate Sally Hudson produced a series of video interviews with several Democratic candidates for Governor, Lt. Governor and Attorney General. They can be viewed on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-2qQ099l6OoSpzQHqADBKQ/videos.
The League of Women Voters of the Charlottesville Area has information about voting
Important Dates
April 25, 2021 First Day to Vote Absentee or Absentee in Person (Early Voting)
Monday, May 17, 2021 Last Day to Register to Vote (5:00 pm in person 11:59 pm on-line)
Friday, May 28, 2021 Last Day to Request Absentee Ballot
Saturday, June 5, 2021 Last Day to Vote early in person
June 8, 2021 Last Day to postmark mail-in ballot
June 8, 2021 Vote in person at regular polling place