Page County ballot set as early voting begins Friday

Preview of three questions on ballot about amending Virginia constitution

By Randy Arrington

LURAY, Sept. 15 — Page County voters will have their first opportunity to cast ballots in the 2026 general election this Friday, Sept. 18, as early voting begins at the Page County Government Center on South Court Street in Luray. Local ballots will see contested races for the District 2 seat on the Page County School Board, three seats on the Stanley Council, congressional races in the House and the Senate, and three proposed amendments to the Virginia constitution.

The race for Stanley Council is the most contested on the ballot in Page County with five candidates vying for three open seats. All three seats will be for four-year terms running through Dec. 31, 2030. Voters will be allowed to vote for three choices among the following candidates (in alphabetical order):

Jason L. Campbell
Donald E. “JR” Good Jr.
Robyn Good (incumbent)
Douglas L. Purdham (incumbent)
Bruce W. Stoneberger (incumbent, vice mayor)

The Page County School Board has a contested race in District 2 with three candidates:

Jon Griffith
Codi Henry (appointed incumbent)
Karen M. Marcum

Lisa Markowitz initially filed her candidacy for the seat and then dropped out of the District 2 race this summer. The new District 2 member will serve a four-yar term through Dec. 31, 2030.

The School Board also has two uncontested races. Former chairman Jason Breeden will be unchallenged to retain his seat in District 4. Breeden was appointed to fill the District 4 seat earlier this year after former District 4 member, Duane Painter, won the chairman’s seat last November. Breeden’s election this fall will be to fill the remainder of Painter’s term through Dec. 31, 2027.

Incumbent Britt Thomas will be unchallenged on the ballot to retain his District 5 seat. Thomas was appointed to the School Board earlier this year after technical issues with campaign finance reports filed by last November’s winner, Charlie Queen Jr. Thomas’ election this fall will be to fill the seat through the remaining three years of Queen’s original full four-year term extending through Dec. 31, 2029.

In Luray, all three incumbents for three open council seats will be unchallenged. Terms are ending on Dec. 31 for council members Ron Vickers (vice mayor), Jerry Dofflemyer, and Ryan Dean. Former Councilman Alex White submitted his resignation on Oct. 8, 2025 with a little over a year remaining in his four-year term, creating the vacancy that Dean filled by appointment in November. All three unchallenged candidates will be elected for four-year terms extending through Dec. 31, 2030.

In Shenandoah, there are four council seats open — including the mayor — and there are four candidates. Clinton Lucas Jr. is expected to continue his long run as mayor, and secure another uncontested, two-year term. Voters will be able to vote for three candidates for council, among an incumbent and two newcomers. Gary “Red” Taylor and Nathan T. Comer will be joining incumbent Lynn E. Fox on the Shenandoah Council. Vice Mayor Bill Kite is stepping away from council after a long tenure, and council member Denise Cave is stepping down after one term.

Former Roanoke Times journalist and author Beth Macy will be the Democratic candidate to challenge Republican incumbent Ben Cline for his 6th District seat in the U.S.House of Representatives.

U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D) will be defending his seat and another six-year term against challenger Bert Mizusawa (R), a retired Major General of the United States Army. Independent Mark Moran, a former investment banker and first-time candidate, will also be on the ballot.

The three proposed amendments to the Virginia constitution are as follows:

• QUESTION 1: Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to (i) protect the freedom to make personal decisions about prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion, miscarriage management, and fertility care; (ii) protect doctors, nurses, and patients from being punished for these decisions; and (iii) allow for restrictions on access to abortion during the third trimester of pregnancy except when the patient’s health is at risk or the pregnancy cannot survive?

• QUESTION 2: Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended to (i) remove the ban on same-sex marriage; (ii) affirm that two adults may marry regardless of sex, gender, or race; and (iii) require all legally valid marriages to be treated equally under the law?

• QUESTION 3: Should the Constitution of Virginia be amended (i) to provide for the fundamental right to vote in the Commonwealth; (ii) to revise the qualifications of voters so that a person convicted of a felony is not entitled to vote during his period of incarceration but is automatically invested with the right to vote upon release from incarceration; and (iii) to update the existing prohibition on voting by persons found to be mentally incompetent to instead apply to persons who have been found to lack the capacity to understand the act of voting?

Early in-person voting begins Friday September 18, 2026 and ends October 31, 2026. Early voting is only available in the Page County Government building, located at 103 S Court St Luray Virginia. (Closed Oct. 12 – Columbus Day)

Friday, October 23, 2026 at 5 p.m. is the deadline to apply for a ballot to be mailed.

Friday, October 23, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. is the deadline to register to vote or update voter registration. Voters may register and vote after October 23, 2026, through Election Day, but they will have to vote a provisional ballot.

Tuesday November 3, 2026 is Election Day. Polls are open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Voter Registration office is located in the Page County Government Center,

103 South Court Street, Luray; the early voting office is located on the ground floor.

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Voting Information for Page County

Decision 2026 – School Board (D2) ~ Q&A with Karen Marcum

Decision 2026 – School Board (D2) ~ Q&A with Codi Henry

Decision 2026 – School Board (D2) ~ Q&A with Jon Griffith

Decision 2026 – Stanley Council ~ Q&A with Bruce W. Stoneberger

Decision 2026 – Stanley Council ~ Q&A with Doug Purdham

Decision 2026 – Stanley Council ~ Q&A with Jason Campbell