Five candidates will be on the June 9 Democratic primary ballot for Charlottesville City Council, the deadline to file for that election having passed.
Voters can select as many as three candidates in the race, and the top three vote-getters will be on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.
Challengers Wes Bellamy, Lena Seville and Mike Signer will compete with incumbents Kathy Galvin and Dede Smith in the primary.
City Republicans said they have identified at least one person to run, but have declined to release his name at this time.
“There will be a candidate, but it will take time to get him up to speed,” said Barbara Null, chairwoman of the Charlottesville Republican Committee.
Null said if city Republicans decide to endorse the candidate, he will be nominated at a mass meeting in late April or early May.
In the county
The electoral picture in Albemarle County is not yet as complete. Both Democrats and Republicans will choose their candidates in mass meetings later this spring. Republicans will hold their meeting June 1 at the County Office Building on McIntire Road.
Only Democrat Ann H. Mallek has formally announced a candidacy for the Board of Supervisors. She will seek a third term to represent the White Hall District. No one has come forward to challenge her.
Democrat Jane Dittmar has not said whether she will seek a full four-year term. She was first elected to the board in 2013 in a special election to fill the unexpired term of Christopher Dumler. No one has announced a challenge.
Republican Kenneth C. Boyd will not seek a fourth term to represent the Rivanna District, meaning there will be at least one new supervisor in Albemarle next year.
Democrat Lawrence Gaughan has launched a website announcing a run for Boyd’s seat and has filed some of the required paperwork with the county registrar. He most recently ran against U.S. Rep. Robert Hurt, R-Chatham, in the 2014 race for Virginia’s 5th District.
Independents; school boards
Independent candidates in both jurisdictions have until June 9 to file to be on the general election ballot. School board races are non-partisan.
The Charlottesville School Board seats held by Colette Blount, Amy Laufer, Jennifer McKeever and Willa Neale will be up for election. None has announced their plans or filed paperwork. No challengers have come forward, either.
The Albemarle County School Board seats held by Ned Gallaway, Barbara Massie Mouly, Steve Koleszar and Jason Buyaki also will be up for election. Koleszar has stated he will seek a sixth term and Buyaki said he will seek a second. The others have yet to announce their plans. No challengers have come forward for any of the seats.
Other races
Voters in Albemarle will elect three constitutional officers.
Democrat Denise Lunsford has not yet announced whether she will seek a third four-year term as commonwealth’s attorney, but the county’s election manager said Lunsford has updated her paperwork.
Republican Sheriff Chip Harding has announced he will seek a third four-year term.
Democrat Debbie Shipp, the incumbent clerk of circuit court, has not said whether she will seek a second eight-year term. However, Democrat John Zug, an Albemarle assistant prosecutor, has filed paperwork to challenge Shipp in the June 9 primary.
No constitutional offices will be on the ballot in Charlottesville.
Albemarle also will elect two members to the Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District’s board of directors. Neither Steven Meeks nor Lonnie Murray has filed paperwork to seek re-election. No challengers have come forward, either.
Charlottesville will be represented on the conservation district board by two new members. Both Richard Collins and John Conover announced earlier this month that they will not seek re-election. No one has said they will run.
The last day to register to vote in the primary is May 18. The last day to register to vote in the general election is Oct. 13.
