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SunGazette
VOLUME 79 NO. 49
ARLINGTON’S SOURCE FOR HOMETOWN NEWS SINCE 1935
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OCTOBER 30, 2014
Down to the Wire for Vihstadt and Howze County Board Result Likely to Be Decided, as All Elections Are, by Who Turns Out to Vote SCOTT McCAFFREY and OWEN BRITTON Staff Writers
It’ll be the same candidates but perhaps a different political landscape in next week’s County Board rematch between John Vihstadt and Alan Howze. Vihstadt, running as an independent,
trounced Democrat Howze in an April special election necessitated by the resignation of board member Chris Zimmerman. The two are the only candidates for County Board on the Nov. 4 ballot, with the winner garnering a full four-year term. Howze is banking on a higher turnout to carry him to victory, and says that in the days since the special election, he has worked to ad-
dress issues of concern to voters. “We’ve laid out specific proposals to address a range of community issues,” he said, pointing to issues ranging from school crowding to affordable housing to the Columbia Pike streetcar. “We have a very detailed agenda,” Howze said. Vihstadt is framing the rematch in terms of
CELEBRATING AFFORDABLE-HOUSING ADVOCATES
moving the county forward, rather than taking a step backward. “The issues that secured our April victory are still with us,” he said. “What has changed is that people have now seen me work to fulfill my promises, and that I John Vihstadt am serving them well on the board.” Arlington’s history suggests that Democrats have the advantage in general elections; this year’s turnout could be 70,000 or more, compared to 22,000 in the special election. The higher turnout Alan Howze causes exponentially more difficulty for candidates with relatively modest campaign war chests to reach out to the electorate. Both sides professed optimism. “With turnout in November certain to be Continued on Page 28
RESULTS Election results will be in next week’s paper, but you can find full coverage of the races and the verdict of the voters Election Night at www.insidenova.com/ news/arlington.
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Former state Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple (second from left) and Brian Coulter of the JBG Cos. (right) recently were honored as champions for housing issues by the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH). Presenting the awards on Oct. 8 were APAH president/CEO Nina Janopaul and APAH board chair Robert Rozen. See more on Page 3. PHOTO BY LLOYD WOLF
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