Tuesday’s election will fill Richmond-area House seat

By Amelia Heymann – Capital News Service

Voters in parts of Richmond and Henrico County will go to the polls Tuesday to elect one of three candidates to a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates.

The three candidates are vying to fill the 71st House District seat vacated by Democrat Jennifer McClellan, who was elected to the state Senate last month.

The candidates

• Jeff Bourne, a Democrat and member of the Richmond School Board
• John Barclay, a Libertarian and teacher in the Richmond Public Schools
• Regie Ford, an independent and Air Force veteran

The district is considered so Democratic that the Republicans did not nominate a candidate. In presidential and statewide election, the precincts that make up the 71st House District typically cast more than 80 percent of their votes for the Democratic nominee, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

The district stretches from Bryan Park, Scott’s Addition, the Fan and the Virginia Commonwealth University campus on the west, to Church Hill, Fulton Hill, Richmond’s East End and the Ratcliffe area of Henrico County.

All of the candidates have education as a top issue.

Barclay is an eighth-grade math and science teacher. He has seen firsthand the issues with Virginia’s education system. He believes schools put too much emphasis on standardized testing. He says Virginia is forced to do that because it receives funding from the federal government.

“Virginia should look into not taking the money from the federal government so that we can be free from the culture of standardized testing,” Barclay said. “Our classrooms should be preparing our students to be thinkers and citizens, not test takers.”

Barclay separates himself from his rivals with his position on legalizing marijuana “rather than filling our prisons with marijuana users.”

Barclay’s campaign platform also includes restoring the voting rights of people who have been convicted of a felony and have served their sentence. “We need a constitutional amendment that allows any felons in the commonwealth who have completed their jail time to automatically regain their right to vote.”

Furthermore, Barclay wants the state to “deregulate industries that currently require excessive licensing in order to practice,” such as barbers and hairdressers.

Bourne says education is key to fighting poverty in Richmond. He said it is important to improve not only the school system but also workforce training for adults.

“It really is a way to address some of the most systemic issues,” said Bourne, who has been endorsed by U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner. “We have some of the most significantly concentrated poverty in our city, and education could help break that up.”

Bourne says his two children motivated him to get involved in politics.

“They not only drive this decision, they also influence and drive my desire to be a public servant and help our city and our state,” Bourne said. “I’ve been on the School Board for five years now. I want to build an education system that provides the tools and skills they need to be productive in life.”

Bourne’s other top issues are addiction and domestic violence. “My father was sober for 20 years before he died,” Bourne said. “Seeing the effects that addiction can have is both personal to me but also affects so many Virginians.”

Ford says his community activism started in high school when he was a member of the Urban League. He has continued public service into his adult life through his service in the United States Air Force and as president of the Richmond Crusade for Voters.

Ford wants to tackle the issue of Richmond’s food deserts. He noted that it’s hard for many residents of the 71st House District to get fresh food because of a lack of grocery stores or reliable public transportation.

“So education, crime, unhealthiness – all of that starts with food deserts. We have to make sure all students and parents have the proper nutrition,” Ford said.

He also has declared his support for House Bill 1444, which would increase the minimum wage of Virginia from its current level of $7.25 an hour to $10 an hour – and eventually to $15 an hour by 2021.

Moreover, Ford supports restoration of rights for felons who have served their time, “sensible gun control laws” and term limits for elected officials.

Whoever wins Tuesday’s election will serve the remainder of McClellan’s term, until January 2018. The seat will be up for election again in November, meaning Tuesday’s winner might be on the ballot again in nine months.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Go to richmondgov.com or http://www.elections.virginia.gov/voter-outreach/where-to-vote.html to find your polling place.

The 71st District

Learn more

Here’s where you can find more information about the candidates online:

• John Barclay
• Jeff Bourne
• Regie Ford