Four Democrats qualify for VA-04 firehouse ballot
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Four Democrats qualify for firehouse ballot
Four Democrats followed to be on the ballot in the Tuesday firehouse primary to determine the nominee in the VA-04 general election.
Joseph E. Preston
Jennifer L. McClellan
Joseph D. Morrissey
Tavorise K. Marks
Preston is a former member of the House of Delegates. He represented HD-63 in 2015 after winning a special election in January of 2015. He did not seek reelection to the House in November of that year. Instead, he primaried state Sen. Rosalyn Dance and lost.
McClellan is a state senator who was elected by a special election in 2017 to fill the seat left vacant by Donald McEachin after he won the VA-04 election in 2016. McClellan had previously served in the House of Delegates since 2006. She also ran for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 2021 but lost to Terry McAuliffe.
Morrissey is a state who previously served in the House of Delegates. He was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2007 but resigned in 2014 after admitting to having sex with a minor. After resigning, Morrissey immediately announced that he would be seeking reelection in the special election that was set to take place on the day his resignation became effective. He ran as an Independent in the special election and won before resigning again two months later to run for the state Senate — which he eventually lost. Morrissey ran as a Democrat for the state Senate again in 2019 and defeated the incumbent in a primary to earn the nomination. He eventually won the general election and is serving the fourth year of that term now.
Marks is a community organizer and activist in Chesterfield. He is a military veteran and former Criminal Analyst for the Drug Enforcement Administration. He now owns his own insurance agency in Hopewell. Marks ran for the Democratic nomination in HD-62 in 2019 and lost to Lindsey Dougherty.
To appear on the ballot in this firehouse primary, candidates had to collect 150 signatures from registered voters in the fourth district and pay the $3,480 filing fee.
Voting hours are 6 am to 7 pm.
Locations to vote:
Brunswick Conference Center – 100 Athletic Field Rd, Lawrenceville, Virginia 23868
Dogtown Dance Studio – 109 W 15th St, Richmond, VA 23224
Diversity Richmond – 1407 Sherwood Ave, Richmond, VA 23220
IBEW Local 666 – 1390 E Nine Mile Rd, Highland Springs VA 23075
Tabernacle Baptist Church – 444 Halifax St, Petersburg, VA 23803
Meadowdale Library – 4301 Meadowdale Blvd, North Chesterfield, VA 23234
Surry Parks & Recreation Center – 205 Enos Farm Drive, Surry, VA 23883
Charles City Government Center – 10900 Courthouse Road, Charles City, VA 23030
In order to vote in this primary, individuals will receive the Democratic Party declaration form, which will require each participant’s full name and address. Participants will also have to sign the following pledge: “I certify that I am a resident of and registered to vote in the 4th Congressional District of Virginia; I am a Democrat; I believe in the principles of the Democratic Party; and I do not intend to support, endorse or assist any candidate who is opposed to the 4th CD Democratic nominee in the ensuing election for Congress.”
