Thanks to the efforts of our General Assembly delegation with the strong support of the Board of Supervisors, voting in Fairfax County and throughout Virginia is more accessible with early in-person voting. We've had great turnout for early voting, including here at the North County Governmental Center in Reston. Just last weekend, countywide more than 9,000 people voted on Saturday and on the first ever Sunday for early voting, 4,656 people cast ballots. The last day for early voting is this Saturday, Oct. 30 – check here for locations, dates and hours.

If you have a mail-in ballot, you can return it at a drop box at any early voting site during the hours they’re open, like the one shown in the photo. There also is a secure, 24-hour drop-off box available outside the Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway in Fairfax.

Election Day is next Tuesday, Nov. 2 and the polls are open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. Please note that on Election Day you must go to your assigned precinct. For information on where you vote or your voter registration status, you can go to the Virginia Department of Elections Citizens Portal or contact the Fairfax County Office of Elections at 703-222-0776, TTY 711 or email voting@fairfaxcounty.gov.

The following offices are on the ballot for the Nov. 2 General Election:

There is also a $360 million public school bond on the ballot.

You can view your sample ballot here.

We have elections every year in Virginia and every one of them is important – make sure you vote!

Availability of Pfizer-BioNTECH Vaccine for Children Expected Soon

Yesterday, the FDA received the recommendation of its independent advisory panel to expand the Emergency Use Authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTECH vaccine to include children ages 5 to 11. In Fairfax County, this means that approximately 97,000 children will soon be eligible for vaccination. Please review  Virginia State Vaccination Liaison Dr. Danny Avula’s statement, which outlines the Virginia Department of Health’s vaccine allocation and roll out strategy pending the anticipated approval by the CDC. I will provide you with more information as it becomes available from the Fairfax County Health Department.

If you received a COVID-19 vaccine, you have a much lower chance of developing severe illness, hospitalization and death from the virus. However, several months after vaccination, reduced protection is being reported, particularly for mild or moderate COVID-19 infection. As a result, following FDA authorizations, the CDC has now recommended a booster dose for eligible individuals who have received any one of the three FDA-authorized vaccines. There are numerous locations countywide where you can receive a booster, including without an appointment. Learn more.

Our nonprofit partners are requesting donations of toddler and youth-size masks for school-aged kids. You can help by donating either homemade face coverings or store-bought masks. All masks must be new and unused. There are marked bins located at all county police stations to drop off your donations. Learn more. 

The Board of Supervisors held several committee meetings yesterday, Oct. 26. You can review all meeting materials and watch recorded videos here:

The next full Board of Supervisors meeting is scheduled for Nov. 9. You can view the schedule of upcoming meetings here.

Thank you to everyone who participated! If you weren’t able to make it to this year’s event, drug take back boxes are available year-round at each of our eight police stations. Learn more.

The Reston Police District CAC meeting is tonight, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. Join via Zoom https://fairfaxcounty.zoom.us/j/88429194982 or call in 215-446-3657 and use code 990007. Topics that will be discussed include remarks from Station Commander Captain Rex Pagerie, a crime update, and a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) presentation.  

Last Saturday was the first day of the Winter Coat Closet distribution. Cornerstones reports that 203 coats and 208 accessories (scarves, gloves, hats) were distributed to 78 adults and 131 children.

Learn more, including Saturday distribution dates.

The Reston Comprehensive Plan Study Task Force has weekly meetings scheduled through the fall. Information on the next meeting is below. To learn more about the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study and the task force, visit the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study webpage. Meeting details and agendas will be found here. You can watch live streams of the meetings on YouTube Live, as well as the video archive of all past task force meetings.

The next TAC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 28, 8 to 10 a.m. The meeting will be hosted on the Webex platform. Use this link to attend and participate in the meeting. You will be prompted to register with your email address and ZIP code before logging into meeting. If you prefer to listen to the meeting on your phone, you may call 1-844-621-3956 and use access code: 2333 344 5162. This is also the number to use if accessing TTY 711. Watch recent TAC meetings here. The Hunter Mill District Transportation Advisory Commission (TAC) meets quarterly on community transportation issues. For additional information or to be added to the HMD TAC email list contact:Shyamali.Hauth@fairfaxcounty.gov

Fall leaf collection in the town of Vienna typically begins in late October and continues through the remainder of the calendar year. Town crews make at least three passes through Town during the leaf collection period. Leaf collection crew routes can be viewed from October through the end of the year. The Town also posts “Leaf Collection Coming Soon” signs in neighborhoods in advance of collection.

Take a few minutes to review these Department of Health and public safety recommendations for safe trick-or-treating. Learn more.

The Fairfax County Park Authority Board has approved a $20,000 Mastenbrook Volunteer Matching Fund Grant request from the Friends of Frying Pan Farm Park to help fund a forest restoration project at the park. Board members approved the request at their meeting on Oct. 13. Learn more.

The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority is partnering with the Virginia Employment Commission, the Fairfax County Department of Family Services and the Fairfax County Department of Economic Initiatives to host the Veteran and Military Career Fair at the United States Army Museum at Fort Belvoir. The hybrid event will take place on Nov. 4, 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Job seekers can also attend virtually from 1 to 4 p.m. Learn more.