This week in county government; In brief meeting, BOS green-lights more funding for Region Ten, CUP for equipment biz; Election 2023: Fundraising and candidate filing roundup
Engage Louisa is a nonpartisan newsletter that keeps folks informed about Louisa County government. We believe our community is stronger and our government serves us better when we increase transparency, accessibility, and engagement.
This week in county government: public meetings, April 24 through April 29
For the latest information on county meetings including public meetings of boards, commissions, authorities, work groups, and internal county committees, click here. (Note: Louisa County frequently schedules internal committee/work group meetings after publication time. Check the county’s website for the most updated information).
Tuesday, April 25
Louisa County Electoral Board, Executive Board Room, Louisa County Office Building, 1 Woolfolk Ave., 10 am. (agenda)
Human Services Advisory Board, Human Services Conference Room, 114 Industrial Drive, Louisa, 11 am.
Board of Equalization, Public Meeting Room, Louisa County Office Building, 1 Woolfolk Ave., Louisa, 6 pm.
Wednesday, April 26
Ag/Forestal and Rural Preservation Committee, Public Meeting Room, Louisa County Office Building, 1 Woolfolk Ave., Louisa, 7:30 pm.
Additional information about Louisa County’s upcoming public meetings is available here.
Interested in taking your talents to one of the county’s numerous boards and commissions? Find out more here including which boards have vacancies and how to apply.
In brief meeting, BOS green-lights more funding for Region Ten, CUP for equipment business
The Louisa County Board of Supervisors on Monday night breezed through a brief agenda that included one public hearing and a couple action items. The board green-lighted a Memorandum of Understanding with Region Ten that paves the way to hiring a Louisa-based behavioral health clinician and okayed a Conditional Use Permit for an equipment sales business on Louisa Road near Trevilians. Five of seven board members attended the meeting. Mountain Road District Supervisor Tommy Barlow and Louisa District Supervisor Eric Purcell were absent. (meeting materials, livestream)
Check out a brief recap of the meeting below.
Supervisors okay more funding for Region Ten aimed at treatment of opioid addiction
The Board of Supervisors took a step toward addressing the scourge of opioid addiction in Louisa County.
The board voted 5-0 to green-light a Memorandum of Understanding with the regional non-profit Region Ten that enables the organization to hire a clinician to work specifically with Louisa County residents struggling with opioid addiction.
According to the MOU, the clinician will provide addiction treatment services exclusively to Louisa residents including initial clinical assessments, referrals to additional services, and related evidence-based treatment. Louisa County agreed to pay $75,000 to cover the clinician’s annual salary and benefits while Region Ten agreed to provide quarterly updates to the board documenting the staffer’s work in the county.
To pay for the clinician, supervisors will tap funding from a series of settlements from class action lawsuits against opioid manufacturers. According to Finance Director Wanda Colvin, the county is expected to receive $548,928 in direct distributions from the settlements between FY22 and FY39. The county has already received $133,840 of that money, Colvin said.
In addition, Louisa can tap another $194,023 in funding via the state’s Opioid Abatement Authority, an entity tasked with disbursing some of Virginia’s proceeds from the lawsuits. OAA funds require the county to submit an application outlining how it plans to use the settlement money and imposes some reporting requirements.
The board agreed to adhere to OAA’s gold standard, which adds some restrictions to the funding. The standard stipulates that the money must be used for new or expanded services aimed at abating the opioid epidemic. Colvin said that, by accepting the gold standard, the county could receive $48,506 in additional funding, bringing the total money available through OAA to $242,529 through FY39. She noted that several other settlement agreements are still pending, so the county could receive more money.
In addition to the $75,000 for the clinician, the county’s proposed FY24 budget includes $240,264 in funding for Region Ten, $95,000 more than the group received last year. The extra money would also be used to expand opioid addiction services, according to Colvin, and the county plans to tap the settlement money to cover the increase. In total, Region Ten is expected to receive just over $170,000 in opioid abatement funding from the county in the coming fiscal year.
At several budget work sessions earlier this year, supervisors expressed concerns about the need for more behavioral health services in the county, floating the possibility of funding a Louisa-based clinician via Region Ten.
Before proposing to spend opioid abatement money on the new position, county staff met with the Louisa Opioid Abatement Citizens Work Group, a group of residents focused on finding solutions to the opioid epidemic locally. The group submitted a letter to county staff in support of hiring a Louisa-based clinician. The letter notes that 12 people died as a result of opioid addiction in Louisa County over the last year. Colvin said that, per Region Ten, over half the adults served by the organization in Louisa have a substance use disorder as part of their diagnosis.
A representative from Region Ten said at a budget work session last month that the organization would advertise the position once the county decided to fund it. She noted that there’s a shortage of behavioral health clinicians in the area and couldn’t guarantee that the organization would immediately find someone to fill the position.
Colvin said that the county is currently in talks with several surrounding localities and Region Ten about applying for OAA funding for a regional opioid abatement program. The authority has money set aside specifically for regional programs, Colvin said, with applications due by May 5. She said that if staff determined that the county’s participation in a regional effort is feasible, she’ll bring a proposal to the board at its May 1 meeting.
Board green-lights CUP for equipment sales business
Supervisors voted 5-0 to approve Lane Industrial & Supply, LLC’s request for a Conditional Use Permit to operate an equipment sales business at 18034 Louisa Road (Route 22) at its intersection with Oakland Road in the Patrick Henry Voting District. The 4.38-acre parcel is zoned for industrial use.
Thomas Lane told the board that he plans to operate a business that sells agricultural, forestry and construction equipment, but noted that the site wouldn’t be home to a large sales lot. He does most of his business with out-of-state dealers via the internet, over the telephone, and at trade shows and plans to primarily use the property to assemble and temporarily store equipment.
“I’m not like a Tractor Supply where I’m going to have every Tom, Dick, and Harry coming in to talk to me about products,” Lane said.
Lane rehabbed an existing structure for office space and intends to build a larger shop on the property to provide additional space for assembly and storage.
“The shop I’ll be putting up (will allow me to bring) some new equipment in to assemble it, put it together, then ship it back out,” he said.
As conditions of the CUP, Lane agreed to maintain a 50-foot vegetative buffer along adjoining residential properties and use dark-sky compliant lighting. He also agreed to improve the property’s entrance off Louisa Road, per Virginia Department of Transportation recommendations. The improvements will better accommodate long-bed trucks that occasionally visit the property to deliver equipment.
Community Development Department staff recommended approval of the CUP, noting in its report that Lane “intends to revitalize a property that has been blighted and abandoned for several years” and that the proposed business “matches the character of the surrounding area which includes existing businesses and industrial zoned parcels.”
No one spoke for or against the request during the public hearing.
Election 2023: Fundraising and candidate filing roundup
The Virginia Department of Elections last week released campaign finance reports for candidates who’ve filed to run for state and local offices this November. The reports disclose campaign donations and expenditures for the first quarter of 2023 and provide a window into several competitive races involving Louisa County.
All 140 seats in the General Assembly—40 in the state Senate and 100 in the House of Delegates—are up for grabs in redrawn districts this year, thanks to the once-a-decade redistricting process. The new districts, approved by the Virginia Supreme Court in December 2021, have shaken up the local political landscape, splitting Louisa County into two new House and Senate districts and setting up several intriguing nominating contests this spring ahead of fall elections that will determine control of the legislature’s two narrowly divided chambers. Democrats hold a 22-18 advantage in the Senate while Republicans hold a 51-46 advantage in the House where there are three vacancies.
At the local level, Louisa’s five constitutional offices are on the ballot this November--clerk of court, commonwealth’s attorney, sheriff, treasurer, and commissioner of the revenue—while three seats on the Louisa County Board of Supervisors and School Board are up for grabs in the Louisa, Jackson and Cuckoo Districts.
Louisa voters will also select the county’s two representatives on the Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Directors and voters in the Town of Mineral will elect one member to Town Council in a special election.
Candidates interested in running for local office have until June 20 to file. Candidates interested in running in the special election for Mineral Town Council have until August 18 to file.
While the campaign finance reports released last week provide an intriguing glimpse into several competitive state-level races, most candidates for local office either didn’t file a report or filed a report showing little activity. (Office-seekers who don’t raise or spend any money may be exempted from regularly filing).
The exception to that came in the battle for the Republican nomination for sheriff where challenger Tim Sansone reported spending more than $45,000 of his own money in the first three months of 2023.
Check out Engage Louisa’s roundup of who’s running for office as of publication time, how much money they’ve raised and spent, and their top donors during the last filing period.
Fueled by out of state money, McGuire hauls in nearly $150k in SD10 race
The race for the Republican nomination in the 10th state Senate District is heating up as it comes down to the wire.
Set to be decided in a May 6 convention at Buckingham County High School, the intra-party contest includes four contenders: Louisa County Board of Supervisors Chair Duane Adams, Powhatan resident Sandy Brindley, Hanover resident Jack Dyer and 56th District Delegate John McGuire.
The district covers solidly conservative terrain, encompassing most of Louisa County and western Hanover at its northern edge and stretching south across Fluvanna, Goochland, Powhatan, Amelia, Cumberland, Buckingham, and Appomattox counties and part of Prince Edward. The winner of the May convention will be a heavy favorite to claim the seat in November.
McGuire and Adams are widely regarded as the frontrunners for the nomination with both men garnering high-profile endorsements. Governor Glenn Youngkin endorsed McGuire earlier this month and 5th District Congressman Bob Good backed Adams in mid-February. McGuire and Adams have traded jabs at recent events and in campaign outreach with each trying to paint their opponent as a man conservative voters can’t trust.
After lagging in fundraising for much of the campaign, McGuire ramped up his efforts in the first quarter of 2023 despite being barred from raising money during the nearly two-month General Assembly session. The fitness instructor and former Navy Seal hauled in $149,794 off 277 contributions with a large chunk of that coming from a single donor far outside the district. Reliable Paving and Concrete, an Arlington, Texas-based paving and construction company, donated $100,000 in mid-March. William and Jeffrey Overton, Suffolk convenient store owners, chipped in $5,018 and $5,000, respectively, McGuire’s next largest gifts.
Reliable Paving donated $75,000 to McGuire’s campaign for House of Delegates in 2021 when he was preparing for a run in the 7th Congressional District and its president, Charles Long, chipped in $11,600. The company and its affiliates gave over $400,000 to Republican congressional candidates and political action committees during last year’s midterm elections, according to Open Secrets, a website that tracks political contributions in federal elections.
McGuire started the year with just $38,448. He spent $81,811 in the first three months of 2023 and, as of March 31, had $106,430 cash on hand. Since launching his campaign more than a year ago, McGuire has pulled in more than $297,000 to lead the money race. About $50,000 of that cash came from transfers from previous campaigns. (report)
For his part, Adams, who announced his candidacy in late December 2021 just after SCOVA approved the new districts, jumped out to a hot fundraising start, raising nearly $250,000 last year. He raised $26,693 off 29 contributions in the first quarter of 2023. Since kicking off his campaign, he’s amassed nearly $287,000 with much of that money coming from Louisa County residents or those with business interests in the area.
Adams continued to tap local money in the last quarter. American Land Holdings LLC, a firm developing the Rock Island Landing subdivision on Lake Anna, was his largest contributor, chipping in $10,000. Charlottesville businessman Paul Manning, who owns commercial real estate at Zion Crossroads, and Plus, LLC, a Chester-based property management firm, contributed $5,000 each.
Adams began the year with $215,742 in the bank, spent $182,939 during the quarter, and ended the filing period with $59,495 cash on hand. (report)
Dyer raised just $7,565 off 31 contributions with $2,000 of that coming from Richmond contractor Mark Meland, his largest contributor. He began the quarter with $179,502, spent $75,327 and, as of March 31, had $111,740 cash on hand. To pad his campaign coffers, Dyer pitched in a $100,000 personal loan to his campaign in May 2022. (report)
Brindley pulled in $27,584 off 18 contributions with $25,000 of that coming from a personal loan. She started the year with $350 in the bank, spent $4,780 and ended the quarter with $23,155 cash on hand. Joe Thomas, a Texas retiree, was Brindley top donor, chipping in $1,000. (report)
On the Democratic side, Jacob Boykin was the only candidate to file initial paperwork with the Virginia Department of Elections to seek the seat, but it’s unclear if he’ll be the party’s nominee. According to Juanita Jo Matkins, chair of the Louisa County Democratic Committee and a member of the party’s 10th District nominating committee, Boykin failed to submit paperwork required to secure the nomination. Matkins said that the party will choose their nominee in a May 20 caucus in Ashland.
Boykin, who launched his campaign in early January, did submit a campaign finance report for the first quarter of the year. He raised $1,000 off 16 contributions, spent no money and ended the filing period with $1,000 in the bank. Maryland resident Robert Chapman was his largest donor, contributing $500. (report)
A Powhatan resident and student at James Madison University, Boykin, 20, has said that he’s the youngest candidate in modern history to seek a Virginia state Senate seat.
Deeds outraises Hudson in SD11
Democrats have their owned heated nominating contest in the blue-leaning 11th state Senate District.
The district includes the City of Charlottesville, Albemarle, Nelson and Amherst counties and a slice of western Louisa.
Sen. Creigh Deeds, who represents more than 60 percent of the district’s voters in his 25th District Senate seat, and Delegate Sally Hudson, who represents a slice of the district—including the City of Charlottesville—in her 57th District House of Delegates seat, will square off in a June 20 state-run primary.
A 20-year Senate veteran who’s garnered the backing of much of the state’s Democratic establishment, Deeds continued to outpace Hudson in fundraising in the first quarter of 2023, hauling in $239,181 off 394 contributions. He began the year with $293,131, spent $109,410 in the year’s first three months and ended the quarter with $422,902 cash on hand.
Deeds received $10,000—his largest cash gift—from seven different contributors including his senate colleagues Scott Surovell, Lynwood Lewis and Mamie Locke’s campaigns. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Crozet developer Barbara Fried, Charlottesville investment banker Robert Hardie, and the Clean Virginia Fund, a political action committee bankrolled by Charlottesville mega-donor Michael Bills, also contributed $10,000 each. (report)
Clean Virginia contributed $5,000 to Hudson’s campaign. The organization, which aims to limit the influence of state-regulated monopoly utilities—namely Dominion Energy—in state politics, has donated $50,000 to Deeds since 2020. It’s donated nearly $50,000 to Hudson over the same timeframe.
Hudson, an advocate for campaign finance reform who doesn’t accept donations from corporations, pulled in $85,822 off 353 contributions. She started the year with $149,701, spent $96,141 and, as of March 31, had $139,383 in the bank.
Ted Weschler, a Charlottesville investment banker who has given more than a million dollars to Virginia politicians on both sides of the aisle over the last 20 years, was Hudson’s top donor, gifting $20,000. Charlottesville resident Laura DeVault chipped in $7,000, the campaign’s second largest gift of the quarter. (report)
Aside from Hudson and Deeds, there are two other contenders in the 11th: Republican Philip Hamilton and independent J’riah Guerrero.
Hamilton, who lost to Hudson in a bid for the House of Delegates in 2021, launched his campaign in early January. He raised $1,580 off eight contributions, spent $1,070, and finished the quarter with $509 cash on hand. Henry Perritt, Jr., a Charlottesville retiree, and Mindy Ruggierro, a Dupont employee from Mechanicsville, were Hamilton’s top donors, pitching in $500 each. (report)
Guerrero, chair of Charlottesville’s Economic Development Authority, filed a campaign finance report for the quarter, but it showed no activity.
In the first quarter of 2023, Craig leads fundraising in HD59
Republicans have another crowded nominating contest in the newly drawn 59th House of Delegates District.
Delegate Buddy Fowler, who represents about 40 percent of the district’s voters in his 55th House of Delegates seat, is vying for his sixth term in Richmond. He’ll face former Louisa GOP chair Graven Craig and Henrico attorney Philip Strother in a June 20 state-run primary.
The Republican-friendly district includes most of Louisa, western Hanover, and a chunk of northwestern Henrico.
Craig, who finished second to Delegate John McGuire in a 2017 six-man primary in the 56th House of Delegates District, led the field in fundraising last quarter, pulling in $56,030 off 72 contributions with $15,000 of that a loan from Craig’s Louisa law firm, Craig Williams. Since launching his bid in December, the firm has loaned $40,000 to Craig’s campaign.
Beyond the loan, Craig tapped other local money. The Louisa First Corporation, a company owned by retired banker Pierce Stone, was Craig’s top donor, gifting $5,000. Louisa attorney Hamilton Garnett was his second largest contributor, chipping in $2,603. Three donors gave $2,500: Garnett’s father and law partner, Jefferson Garnett; RTW Construction, a company owned by Jackson District Supervisor Toni Williams; and Lake Anna realtor Gary Griffith.
Craig started the year with $24,176 in bank. He spent $66,984 in the first three months of 2023 and, as of March 31, had $13,221 cash on hand. (report)
Fowler posted modest fundraising numbers in the first quarter, fueled mostly by entities who lobby the General Assembly. He raised $12,892 off 25 contributions with $5,000 of that coming from Dominion Energy. Since 2013, Dominion has been one of Fowler’s top donors, contributing $13,500 to his campaigns.
Craig said at a January forum hosted by the Louisa Tea Party that he won’t accept donations from Dominion, one of the most influential players in state politics. The General Assembly occasionally votes on legislation that impacts the state-regulated monopoly utility’s bottom line and Virginians’ electric bills, prompting some good government advocates to push for legislation barring Dominion from donating to state-level campaigns. A growing number of legislators on both sides of the aisle have declined to accept donations from the company.
Beyond Dominion, Powerhouse Gaming Inc., the Virginia Asian American Store Owners Association, and the Virginia Telecom Cable Association each contributed $1,000 to Fowler’s campaign.
He began the year with $52,716 in bank, spent $25,299 and ended the quarter with $40,309, easily besting his two challengers in cash on hand. (report)
Strother raised just $3,154 from 13 contributions. He started the year with $986, spent $146 and ended the filing period with $3,993 in the bank. Former lobbyist Buford Blevins III contributed $1,000, Strother’s largest donation. (report)
The winner of the June primary will face Democrat Rachel Levy in the November 7 general election. Levy, an Ashland educator, lost to Fowler in a bid for the House of Delegates in 2021.
In the first quarter of 2023, Levy raised $26,408 off 191 donations. She began the year with $17,338, spent $22,421 and, as of March 31, had $21,325 cash on hand.
Rockville resident Sallie Moncol was Levy’s top donor, chipping in $4,300 while Vienna attorney Diane Stoddard gifted $1,500, her second largest gift. Like Craig, Levy has pledged to not take donations from Dominion Energy. (report)
Laufer outraises Squire in HD55
Two Democrats are battling for their party’s nomination in the new 55th House of Delegates District: former Charlottesville School Board Chair Amy Laufer and emergency department nurse Kellen Squire.
The blue-leaning district includes most of Albemarle County, a slice of northern Nelson and western Louisa, and a small sliver of Fluvanna. Democrats will choose their nominee in a June 20 state-run primary.
Reid Wernig, a Charlottesville aerospace engineer, is the only Republican who has filed to run for the seat. He didn’t file a campaign finance report for the first quarter of 2023.
Republican Delegate Rob Bell, who currently represents a significant swath of the district in his 58th House of Delegates seat, opted not to run for re-election in the new district. Former Governor Terry McAuliffe (D) won the new 55th by about 11 points in his failed bid for the governor’s office in 2021.
Both Squire and Laufer have previously run for state office. Squire lost to Bell in a 2017 House of Delegates race and Laufer lost to Sen. Bryce Reeves in her bid for the 17th state Senate seat in 2019. That district included most of Louisa County.
A prolific fundraiser in her previous campaign, Laufer outraised Squire in the first quarter though Squire received contributions from more donors. Laufer pulled in $94,965 from 313 contributions. She began the year with $88,761, spent $46,462 and, as of March 31, had $137,264 cash on hand.
LinkedIn co-founder Allen Blue was Laufer’s top donor, contributing $10,000. Nelson County developer Hunter Bourne and Henrico insurance executive Thomas McInerney each chipped in $5,000. (report)
Squire raised $45,812 from 1,046 contributions. He started the year with $45,187, spent $26,620 and ended the filing period with $64,378 in the bank. Crozet retiree John Hickey was Squire’s top donor, giving $2,800. Crozet resident Jennifer Williams pitched in $1,000, his second largest cash gift. (report)
Both candidates touted their fundraising efforts in press releases last week. Squire’s campaign said that it has received the most individual donations of any non-statewide primary in Virginia history while Laufer’s campaign said that the fundraising report reflected her broad community support.
Local contests
Here’s a quick rundown of the 11 county offices on the ballot this November, who’s filed to run at publication time, and where their fundraising stands if applicable. (Candidates have until June 20 to file to run for office locally).
Sheriff: So far, the most contentious local race is the battle for the Republican nomination for sheriff between one-term incumbent Donnie Lowe and challenger Tim Sansone.
Local Republicans will choose their nominee in a Mass Meeting on May 8 at 7 pm at the Betty Queen Center. Registration begins at 6 pm.
Sansone is a Lake Anna resident who runs Sentry Force Security LLC, a private security company based in Fairfax. According to his campaign finance report, he spent $45,094 of his own money in the first three month of 2023. Nearly $17,000 of that went to canvassing and another $16,500 paid for campaign mailers. He didn’t receive any other donations. (report)
Sansone has used social media to criticize Lowe’s leadership at LCSO, accusing Lowe of nepotism and a lack of transparency. He has taken issue with the fact that the department isn’t accredited, complained that Louisa has too few deputies and their salaries are too low, and accused Lowe of promoting his son, Dustin Lowe, to captain despite his lack of qualifications for the position.
On his campaign Facebook page, Lowe has touted the county’s low crime rate, his 20-year tenure as chief deputy, and recent pay hikes for deputies. He also highlights his support for making Louisa a “Second Amendment Sanctuary County” and his close relationship with Louisa County Public Schools, noting that LCPS was the first school division in the state to have a law enforcement officer in each of its six schools.
Lowe’s campaign finance report shows only one $25 contribution. Lowe began the year with $750, spent $130 in the first three months of 2023 and, as of March 31, had $709 cash on hand.
Commissioner of the Revenue: One-term incumbent Stacey Fletcher (I) filed to run for re-election as commissioner of the revenue. She didn’t file a fundraising report for the first three months of the year. Fletcher won a three-way race for the job in 2019. At publication time, no one has filed to run against her this November.
Treasurer: Henry Wash (I) filed to run for re-election as treasurer. He didn’t submit a campaign finance report for the year’s first quarter. First elected from a six-candidate field in 2011, Wash is seeking his fourth term. So far, no one has filed to challenge him this year.
Commonwealth’s Attorney: To date, incumbent Republican Rusty McGuire is the only candidate to seek the local prosecutor’s office. McGuire’s campaign finance report for the first quarter shows only one contribution: a $2,769 personal loan to his campaign. It also shows one expenditure: a $2,769 payment to Louisa County, designated as a filing fee.
Local Republicans selected a state-run primary to choose their nominee for commonwealth’s attorney. But McGuire is the only candidate seeking the nomination, rendering the primary unnecessary.
Clerk of Court: Patty Madison (I) filed to run for re-election as clerk of court. She filed a campaign finance report for the first quarter of 2023, showing only a $500 personal donation to her campaign. Madison was first elected in 2017 after former Clerk Susan Hopkins retired. At publication time, no one has filed to challenge her this fall. Virginia’s clerks of court serve eight-year terms.
Board of Supervisors-Louisa District: Incumbent Eric Purcell (I) opted not to seek re-election to the Louisa District seat on the Board of Supervisors. Since Purcell made that announcement in mid-March, the race has attracted interest from several residents.
Former Louisa Fire and EMS Chief Robert Dube briefly threw his hat in the ring, but he told Engage Louisa last week that he’s withdrawn from the race. In an email, Dube said that he received an “unexpected opportunity” that requires occasional travel, meaning he wouldn’t have time to fully dedicate himself to the supervisor job.
Blue Ridge Shores resident Chris Colsey last week filed paperwork to seek the seat as a Republican, according to the Virginia Department of Elections. The Louisa County Republican Committee will choose its nominee in a May 8 Mass Meeting. Though Colsey is the only candidate to file with the Department of Elections, other candidates could’ve filed with the local committee before formally submitting paperwork to the state.
Local businessman Greg Jones announced last week that he plans to run for the seat as an independent though he hasn’t filed paperwork with the state. Jones, former president of the Louisa branch of the NAACP, previously ran for supervisor in 2007. He lost that race by just 15 votes. Jones represented the Louisa District on the Planning Commission from 2017 to 2020.
Board of Supervisors-Cuckoo District: Independent incumbent Willie Gentry, a 20-year veteran of the board, said earlier this year that he won't seek re-election to the Cuckoo District seat. So far, only one candidate is vying to replace him.
Lake Anna resident Christopher McCotter announced his candidacy in early February, formally filing paperwork with the Virginia Department of Elections in March to run as a Republican. McCotter didn’t file a campaign finance report for the first quarter of 2023.
The Louisa County Republican Committee opted for a state-run primary to choose its nominee in the Cuckoo District, but with only one candidate filing for the party’s nomination, that election won’t be necessary.
Board of Supervisors-Jackson District: While no one has filed paperwork with Department of Elections to seek the Jackson District seat, two-term incumbent Toni Williams (R) is expected to run for re-election. Republicans will select their nominee at a May 8 Mass Meeting. Though he faced opposition in both of his previous campaigns, Williams easily won the solidly conservative district.
School Board-Louisa District: William “Billy” Seay (I) filed to run for re-election to the Louisa District seat on the School Board. He didn’t file a campaign finance report for the year’s first quarter. Seay was first elected in 2007 and only faced an opponent in his initial campaign. At publication time, no one has filed to challenge him this November.
School Board-Cuckoo District: Incumbent Stephen Harris (I) has filed to seek re-election to the Cuckoo District School Board seat. Harris didn’t file a campaign finance report for the first quarter. In his four previous bids for the office, Harris has run opposed. So far, no one has filed to challenge him this year.
School Board-Jackson District: At publication time, no one has filed paperwork with the state to seek the Jackson District School Board seat. It’s unclear if incumbent Frances “Gail” Goodman plans to run for re-election.
First elected to the board in 2015, Goodman has struggled with health problems in the last several years and hasn’t attended a meeting in person since January 2020, according to meeting minutes. While she participates in some meetings via telephone, Goodman has been absent from seven of 10 recent meetings.
Note: Engage Louisa relied on information from the Virginia Department of Elections and the Virginia Public Access Project for this article. In the rare instance there were discrepancies between the two, we used data from the Department of Elections. However, we linked to VPAP’s reports because the information is presented in a user-friendly format.
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