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Gainesville Republicans will have a three-way nominating contest for the special election to fill the district’s vacant seat on the Prince William Board of County Supervisors.
Civil engineer Ray Mizener joined the nomination field this week for the Feb. 21 special election.
The Gainesville District seat was vacated Dec. 16 after Supervisor Pete Candland announced his resignation following a recommendation from Commonwealth’s Attorney Amy Ashworth that he not participate in votes on the county’s Comprehensive Plan or any data center projects in the county until the controversial PW Digital Gateway receives a vote.
Candland, who had been on the board since 2011, signed onto the Digital Gateway in November 2021.
Mizener unsuccessfully challenged Candland for the party’s nomination in 2019.
The county Republican committee will hold its nominating meeting at 7 p.m. Jan. 2 at Park Valley Church, 4500 Waverly Drive, Haymarket.
The nominating meeting will be open to any registered voter in the Gainesville District who pledges to support the election of the nominated candidate. Registration begins at 5 p.m.
Under state law, the Prince William County Board of Supervisors cannot appoint a temporary replacement ahead of a special or general election. It is the only local governing body in Virginia specifically barred by state law from appointing a temporary replacement for a vacancy among its members, with very limited exceptions.
Former Gainesville District School Board member Alyson Satterwhite and Haymarket Town Councilor Bob Weir are also seeking the GOP nomination.
Kerenesa Sumer is so far the only Democrat to announce a campaign for the seat.
Whoever wins the special election will have to run in the 2023 general election, when all eight seats of the Board of County Supervisors are up for grabs.
Nolan Stout covers Prince William County. Reach him at nstout@insidenova.com or @TheNolanStout on Facebook and Twitter.
