Equality Fairfax

This is a special election for the Senate seat currently held by KenCuccinelli. Senator Cuccinelli is vacating the seat because he was elected to be attorney general in the November election.

The candidates are:

• David Marsden (currently serving as Delegate of House District 41)
• Stephen Hunt (former Fairfax County school board member)

We are hoping each candidate will participate in a podcast to answer questions.

Senate District 37 runs from West Springfield in the southeast through Burke to Centreville and Chantilly. For a map of the district, look here.

With a new year comes a new meeting of Virgina’s General Assembly in Richmond. Each year Equality Fairfax participates with Equality Virginia in Lobby Day – an opportunity for us to visit our legislators in Richmond and discuss legislation and issues. This is a significant chance to:

• Advocate for pro-equality laws for all LGBT people in Virginia
• Make our legislators aware that we’re here and we care about the issues
• Put a personal face on the important issues that affect us

Equality Fairfax will make sure we meet with each of the delegates and senators for Fairfax County. But, without constituents from the actual districts we can’t drive the point home – that’s why we need everyone to attend! It’s important that your delegate and senator know that YOU are from their district – they represent you, and you’re making your voice heard. It’s an easy but important process.

Mark your calendars and make appropriate preparations to take off work so you can join us for this crucial day of the year. We’ll update with more information as the date gets closer.

Registration is now open for Lobby Day! Sign up here.

Most of the readers of this already know that Maine voters repealed Maine’s marriage equality law. This is a major disappointment but there were positives last night. It appears the attempt to repeal Washington state’s domestic partnership law may have been defeated though by the slimmest of margins. Voters in Kalamazoo, Michigan also soundly defeated an attempt to repeal that city’s non-discrimination law.

Though the result in Maine is disappointing, we mustn’t let it discourage us. In any movement there are always setbacks and while California and Maine are major setbacks we must take that disappointment and channel it into positive action.

One of the lessons from Maine is that urban voters supported our cause while rural voters didn’t. Unfortunately, there simply weren’t enough urban voters in Maine. Most states probably don’t have enough big cities to offset the large but more diffuse population outside the urban regions. As a community, we’ve done a pretty good job of educating voters in urban and suburban areas. Most of us live in these regions. It’s probably safe to say that most people who live in rural areas don’t have much contact with openly gay people. Until we can reach that group, we’re always going to be living on the razor’s edge in votes like this.

Here in Virginia, marriage equality still has a long road ahead of it but there is still a great deal of work to do to make Virginia a safer place for us to live. We need to continue to work to get a state law passed to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in state hiring. At the federal level we need to continue to work to pass ENDA and repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Progress on those issues will ultimately help move the marriage equality issue forward.

November 3rd is election day in Virginia. Polls are open from 6am to 7pm.

The following offices are being determined by this election:

• governor
• lieutenant governor
• attorney general
• delegates

Be sure to make your voice heard!

Danny Smith is running for office in the 38th district. His opponent is Kaye Kory.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 5:40 — 4.9MB)

Kaye Kory defeated incumbent Bob Hull in the primary therefore the 38th district has no incumbent candidate in this election. Her opponent is Danny Smith.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:52 — 6.0MB)

Delegate Chuck Caputo is the incumbent candidate in the 67th district. Chuck provided us with the following written responses to our questions we submitted to the candidates.

1. LGBT people in Virginia often feel vulnerable to hostile workplace actions that can affect their careers or employment. Do you support workplace non-discrimination for LGBT employees?

Yes, in fact, I cosponsored HB 2385 to end discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace.

2. Thousands of LGBT families call the Commonwealth of Virginia home, including many here in Fairfax County. Would you support the repeal of the Marshall-Newman amendment which defines marriage as solely between one man and one woman and bans recognition of any legal status “approximat[ing] the design, qualities, significance, or effects of marriage”?

Yes.

3. Thousands of LGBT families call the Commonwealth of Virginia home, including many here in Fairfax County. Would you support the repeal of the Marshall-Newman amendment which defines marriage as solely between one man and one woman and bans recognition of any legal status “approximat[ing] the design, qualities, significance, or effects of marriage”?

Yes.

General statement

I have worked to improve the quality of life for the people of the 67th District for over 40 years. From homeowner’s association president to Thomas Jefferson High School PTSA president to member of the School Board to Delegate, I have made the citizens of the 67th District my top priority. Furthermore, I believe in the US Constitution, which clearly states that everyone is equal in the eyes of the law.

It’s taken over a decade but the Hate Crime Prevention Act is supposed to be signed into law tomorrow according to 365gay.com. Hopefully this will see the gay and trans panic defenses become a distant memory.

While it is true that this law won’t prevent any violence directly, it does give us the tools to more effectively prosecute the people who perpetrate that violence. It also sends a message about what type of society we want to create.

This was one of the “Big Four” pieces of legislation at the federal level. Hopefully we can get the Employment Non-Discrimination Act or the Repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” passed next as well as work toward the repeal of DOMA. Let’s use this event to energize us to further action!

Vivian Watts is the incumbent candidate in the 39th district. Her major party opponent is Joe Bury.

* Please note that Vivian’s interview was conducted after her opponent’s (Joe Bury’s) had been posted earlier in the day. We apologize for the error.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:45 — 7.4MB)

Joe Bury is the challenger candidate in the 39th district. The incumbent candidate is Delegate Vivian Watts.

* Please note that Joe’s interview was posted earlier in the day before his challenger’s interview was conducted. We apologize for the error.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 4:36 — 3.9MB)