With Elizabeth Bennett-Parker resigning to run for the Virginia 39th Senate District, a vacancy has opened in the Virginia House of Delegates District 5, which is located entirely within Alexandria. As a result, the Republican Party will be holding a Special Party Canvas on Sunday, January 18th from 2-4pm at ARCC’s headquarters, located at 221 S. Henry Street, to choose our candidate to run in the special election taking place on February 10th. All Republicans located in the 5th District are invited to participate in Sunday’s vote.
Please see below and the attached link to learn more about becoming a candidate for the 5th District, which is located within Alexandria. The deadline to submit your candidacy form for the nomination will be Saturday at 6pm, and it must be submitted electronically to chair@alexgop.org.
Key Dates:
Official Call for Special Party Canvas
OFFICIAL CALL
Special Party Canvass
5th House of Delegates District
Sunday, January 18, 2026, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Alexandria Republican City Committee Office
221 S. Henry Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
As Chairman of the Legislative District Committee for Virginia House of Delegates District 5 of the Republican Party of Virginia and pursuant to the Plan of Organization and as recommended and directed by the Committee, I, Chris Howell, do hereby issue this Call for a 5th Legislative District Party Canvass to be held from on 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Sunday, January 18, 2026, at the office of the Alexandria Republican City Committee, 221 S. Henry St., Alexandria VA 22314, for the purpose of: Nominating a Republican candidate for the office of Delegate, to be voted for in the February 10, 2026, Special Election.
Qualifications for Participation
All legal and qualified voters of House of Delegates District 5, under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, regardless of race, religion, national origin or sex, who are in accord with the principles of the Republican Party and who, if requested, express in open meeting either orally or in writing as may be required, their intent to support all of its nominees for public office in the ensuing election, may participate as members of the Republican Party of Virginia in this special party canvass.
Filing Requirements
Candidates for the Republican nomination at said canvass shall file a written statement (filing form attached to this Call) to Chris Howell, Republican Legislative District Chair of the 5th House of Delegates District, by email to Chair@AlexGOP.org , which must be received no later than 6:00 PM on Saturday, January 17, 2026. The statement shall affirm that the candidate meets the requirements for serving in the Virginia House, representing the 5th District (You are a citizen of the United States; you are at least 21 years of age at the time of the election; you have been a resident of Virginia for one year immediately preceding the election; and you are a resident of, and registered voter in the Virginia House district in which you are seeking office, pursuant to Va. Code § 24.2-500).
Registration and Fee
Only legal and qualified voters of the 5th District may participate in the Party Canvass. There is no pre-registration and no fee to participate. Onsite registration will be available during the Canvass voting period. The Credentials Committee will verify that each registrant is in “accord with the principles of the Republican Party” and, if requested, will “express in open meeting either orally or in writing as may be required, their intent to support all of its nominees for public office in the ensuing election,” pursuant to the Republican Party of Virginia Plan of Organization and the qualifications for participation outlined within this Official Call. The Committee waived the requirement to publish this Call in a newspaper. The requirement to have a polling place in each unit in the district was also waived.
Cancellation Clauses
If only one candidate properly files, then said candidate shall be declared the Republican nominee and no canvass will be held. If no candidates file to seek the Republican nomination by the stated filing deadline, the Canvass shall be cancelled, and the 5th House of Delegates District Legislative Committee reserves the right to meet and select a nominee prior to the filing deadline to be listed as a candidate on the ballot on February 10th.
Paid for and authorized by the Legislative District Committee for State House of Delegates District 5 of the Republican Party of Virginia.
Rules for the Special Party Canvass
The Legislative District Committee for State House of Delegates District 5 of the Republican Party of Virginia, pursuant to the Plan of Organization of the Republican Party of Virginia, hereby adopts these Rules for the conduct of this Special Party Canvass.
This party canvass shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by and conducted in accordance with the following (giving precedence as listed): the State Party Plan, these rules, and otherwise in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised (12th ed.).
The Chair of the Legislative District Committee shall appoint a Credentials Committee of not more than three (3) persons, to register those persons who offer to vote and to count the ballots once the polls are closed. The members of the Credentials Committee shall remain inside the room in which voting is conducted during the period in which voting takes place and until the ballots are counted.
All voters shall meet the requirements as specified in the Call of the Party Canvass.
Only eligible voters duly registered by the Credentials Committee may vote. No proxies are allowed at any time.
No write-in votes or other votes for candidates not listed on the ballot will be counted.
The order in which candidates appear on the ballot will be determined by the drawing of names from a bowl, conducted by the Chairman of the 5thth House of Delegates District Committee. Each properly filed candidate will be permitted to have one representative present to witness the drawing of names.
The Credentials Committee shall decide any question that may arise concerning the qualifications of a candidate or eligibility to vote.
No one will be allowed in the voting area without proper authorization. Candidates shall not loiter or campaign in the room in which voting will take place.
The Credentials Committee shall prepare ballots listing the names of all qualified candidates for the nomination, who have properly filed as required in the Call.
As soon as the polls are closed, the Credentials Committee shall immediately proceed to ascertain the vote given at the Canvass and shall continue without adjournment until they declare the results of the canvass. Only the members of the Credentials Committee and two representatives of each candidate, hall be permitted to remain in the room once the polls have closed and until the ballots are counted. Ballots shall then be placed in a sealed envelope and preserved and secured by the Credentials Committee for at least thirty (30) days in the event of any challenge to the results.
Candidates shall be elected on the basis of plurality of votes received. If two or more persons have an equal number of votes and a higher number than any other person, the Credentials Committee shall proceed publicly to determine by the drawing of a name from a bowl, conducted by the Chairman of the 5th State House of Delegates District Committee, which of the persons shall be declared elected, after those persons have been notified and are allowed an opportunity to be present or to have one representative present.
The Credentials Committee shall preserve order inside and outside the polling place. No person shall hinder, intimidate, or interfere with any qualified voter so as to prevent the voter from casting a secret ballot. The Credentials Committee may order a person violating this Rule to cease such action and, if such action continues, may remove such person from the polling place.
5th State House of Delegates District Republican Nomination Filing Form
I, ________________, declare myself a candidate in the January 18, 2026, Republican Party Canvass to (printed name as to be listed on the ballot) determine the Republican nominee in the February 10, 2026, special Election for the 5th District seat in the Virginia State House of Delegates. I am in accord with the principles of the Republican Party and intend to support the Republican nominee in the February 10, 2026 special election. I am a registered voter in the 5th House District. The address at which I am registered to vote is:
___________________________.
(street address, city, state, zip code)
Signature (Electronic Signature or Typed Name is acceptable)
Please reach out to chair@alexgop.org for any questions.