Local elections are one part of the political process where the results of the election process can be both seen and felt by the public. The Board of Supervisors make decisions that directly impact how Albemarle County citizens live on a day to day basis. A few of these issues are growth management – to include roads and other infrastructure, the development process, property taxes and perhaps most importantly, how our taxpayer money is spent.
There are several local elections this fall, none more contested and interesting than the open seat in the Rio District of the Board of Supervisors, which pits Gary Grant (archived: 2006), Thomas Jakubowski (no longer available) and David Slutsky (archived: 2009) against each other. This one may be too close to call, as each candidate brings a different set of qualifications to the table. David Slutsky, however, is brilliant and has an extraordinary background that sets him apart from his competition.
Another potentially very interesting campaign is the Jack Jouett District election which sees the incumbent, Dennis Rooker (archived: 2024) against newcomer Christian Schoenwald (archived: 2025). This race may be more competitive than anticipated.
It is in every Albemarle citizen’s best interest to 1) inform and educate themselves and 2) preferably when sufficiently educated on the candidates and pertinent issues, vote.
Read more about the candidates at Charlottesville Tomorrow’s Election Watch (no longer available) page. Charlottesville Tomorrow also has a calendar with information about the upcoming Candidates’ Forums they are hosting and co-hosting (archived: 2009).
Interested in Learning More?
Jim Duncan has been helping buyers and sellers in Charlottesville’s neighborhoods for 25 years. Get local insight born of experience.
Dig Deeper
Thoughts on 2026 Albemarle County Assessments
Albemarle County assessments increased again in 2026. Want to challenge your assessment? Here's the form. Curious about FAQs about Albemarle County assessments, here's the FAQ. Think your assessment is too high or too low? Ask me; I'm happy to give a quick thought or two.…
When Will Homes Come on the Market in Charlottesville and Albemarle in 2026?
When will homes come on the market in Charlottesville and Albemarle in 2026? The Charlottesville real estate cycle has bee fairly consistent over the years. In 2023, I wrote a similar story to this one. The biggest two changes between 2023 and 2026* are: interest…
Developers Have Long-Term Vision
Developers think and plan long-term. Generally. An example. Many years ago, I represented sellers of a piece up land up 29 North. It was a relatively small piece of land, and we received an offer pretty quickly for asking price. About twenty years later, all…
Who Knew HOAs Could be Progressive? No Woodstoves?
No woodstoves in your neighborhood? Woodstoves. No woodstove (including free-standing and fireplace insert) shall be installed, maintained or used on any Lot. Read the HOA packages, folks. My clients found this when they read the HOA docs. There's often some interesting things in homeowner association…