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A special election for the vacant Gainesville District supervisor seat has been set for Nov. 4, the Prince William County Office of Elections confirmed on Wednesday.
The announcement comes in the wake of Gainesville District Supervisor Bob Weir’s July 20 death. The special election for the Republican-leaning district will take place on the same day as the November general election.
Primaries do not precede special elections, the office said. The political parties themselves will determine their respective candidates.
Circuit Court Chief Judge Angela Horan issued a writ of election Wednesday morning, which the Office of Elections received around 11 a.m. The county’s Electoral Board was scheduled to hold an emergency meeting July 31 at 4:30 p.m. to set candidate filing deadlines for the special election. The meeting, in the office’s main conference room at 9250 Lee Ave. in Manassas, will be open to the public.
Kulick announcement
Kathryn Kulick, a Republican and vice chair of the HOA Roundtable of Northern Virginia, appears poised to run as Weir’s potential replacement. “As one of Bob’s appointees in fulfilling his commitment to protect the Gainesville District, I saw firsthand his vision for future policies impacting our community,” Kulick, a resident member of the county’s Data Center Ordinance Advisory Group, said in a Saturday news release. “To that end, I would ask everyone to stand by for a major announcement following the Board of County Supervisors recognition of Bob’s contributions…”
As of Wednesday afternoon, she had not made any official announcement.
But perhaps with early echoes of a campaign slogan, the release was signed, “Kathy Kulick, An Experienced Voice for Gainesville.”
The HOA Roundtable of Northern Virginia advocates for residential quality of life and property value.
During its July 29 meeting, the now seven-member Board of County Supervisors voted unanimously – following a closed session – to “authorize the county attorney to notify the Circuit Court of the vacancy created by the untimely death of Gainesville District Supervisor Robert ‘Bob’ Weir … and to petition the Circuit Court for a writ of special election,” according to a motion read from by Coles District Supervisor Yesli Vega.
County Attorney Michelle Robl then delivered the certification to the Office of Prince William County Circuit Court Clerk Jacqueline C. Smith, whereupon Horan issued the writ of election.
During public comment time at the board’s July 29 meeting, Kulick paid her respects to Weir while ambiguously foreshadowing her pending plans.
“To Bob’s devoted staff and appointees who now must carry on and step into the breach,” Kulick said. “Steady as it goes – steady as it goes.”
Kulick has been a leading voice on the Data Center Ordinance Advisory Group, advocating last fall for its ultimate, resident-centric restructuring process, which it underwent in December.
At a Nov. 14 news conference, Kulick lamented the perceived exclusion of resident interests.
“The residents are having the rug pulled out from under them,” Kulick said. “To actually serve the public interest, the Data Center Ordinance Advisory Group must be reorganized and placed under new leadership that will exercise it as a true advisory group and not simply an audience.”
Kulick’s request was subsequently taken into account and implemented under the guidance of Wade Hugh, deputy county executive, who announced in December that, “effective immediately,” data center industry members – various lobbyists, land attorneys and NOVEC and Dominion Energy representatives – would no longer be the primary consultants for group initiatives.
In the release, Kulick praised Weir’s commitment and service to the Gainesville community, with tributes having poured in last week for the late supervisor.
“The loss of our friend and fierce advocate Supervisor Bob Weir stunned and saddened everyone in the Gainesville District, and many throughout Prince William County,” Kulick said. “Everyone admired Bob’s willingness and relentless fight for his constituents. His passing creates a huge challenge on issues that impact the quality of life in our community, and Bob himself would want to restore our voice on the Board as soon as possible.”
“…Love from Bob’s constituents goes to his family who sacrificed so much to allow him to serve our community,” Kulick added.
