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We are already heading into another election cycle. We just held a special election to fill the seat formerly held by the late Del. Ronnie Campbell and now plans are being made for the next elections. There will be no less than 25 local offices up for grabs in this fall’s elections. (See page 1 story for details.)
And, that number does not include the three members of the Virginia General Assembly who will be elected this fall to represent portions of the Rockbridge area in reconfigured districts – Districts 36 and 37 in the House of Delegates and District 3 in the state Senate. There will likely be primaries June 20 to determine who will be the party nominees for these General Assembly seats.
June 20, by the way, is the deadline for candidates to qualify for getting their names on the fall ballots. Candidates have until then to get petitions signed and paperwork turned into the voting registrars’ offices.
This year’s elections will lead to a changing of the guard in certain offices. Buena Vista Mayor Bill Fitzgerald announced last week that he won’t be seeking reelection. Fitzgerald has provided quiet, steady leadership for a city that appears poised for positive days ahead. The mayor is completely without pretense and has been a voice of reason as the city has faced numerous challenges over the past several years.
The first candidate out of the gates for this year’s elections is Tyson Cooper, who has already qualified to get his name on the ballot for Buena Vista mayor. Cooper, chief financial officer for Southern Virginia University, has been a member of City Council since 2017. He previously served a two-year stint as vice mayor.
Also stepping down this year is Buena Vista Treasurer Mary Lee Huffman, who is retiring, effective April 1. Her friendly demeanor and financial acumen have been a welcome presence in the treasurer’s office for decades. Treasurer since 2017, Huffman has worked in the treasurer’s office since shortly after graduating from Parry McCluer High School in 1986. Set to succeed Huffman is her capable and equally friendly deputy, Amy Hudson.
Hudson is to be a candidate in a special election Nov. 7 to fill the remaining two years of Huffman term. Treasurer and mayor are among a dozen offices that will be on the ballot in Buena Vista on Nov. 7.
Changing of the guard could be in the offing elsewhere in Rockbridge area elective offices. Among the office-holders whose terms expire this year are the chair and vice chair of the Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors, the chair and vice chair of the county School Board and mayor of Glasgow.
We acknowledge the hard work and sacrifices made by those who are serving in this multitude of public offices in the Rockbridge area. We encourage those seeking to serve in any of these offices to begin making plans to run now. The June 20 deadline to file candidacies for these elective offices will be here before we know it.
