This story was updated at 9:36 p.m.
Five candidates filed for the Democratic nomination in the HD-26 special election to fill Del. Kannan Srinivasan’s seat, but the chair of one of the campaigns has filed a residency challenge against one of the other candidates — former Del. Ibraheem Samirah.
Loudoun School Board member Arben Instrefi, JJ Singh, Lakesha Gorham-McDurfee, Sam Nandi and Samirah all made the ballot for the special election, according to the Loudoun County Democratic Committee.
Samirah filed his paperwork to run in HD-26 with the LCDC at the last minute Tuesday night. This comes just days after Samirah finished second in the SD-32 special election.
Avram Fechter, the current chair of Istrefi’s campaign and a past chair of LCDC, filed the challenge against Samirah’s residency.
According to the challenge from Fechter, Samirah’s address listed when he voted in the presidential election earlier this month was in HD-27. His address listed when he ran in the SD-32 Democratic primary Saturday was in HD-27 and his address listed in VAN — the Democratic voter database system — is in HD-27.
“A candidate’s self certification of their VERY recent move into an election district, clearly only for the purposes of running in an upcoming election, is insufficient proof of their residency to justify placing their name on the ballot in a Democratic Party nomination contest,” Fechter wrote. “LCDC has the authority to deny anyone placement on a primary ballot that it feels has not sufficiently proven they have met the qualifications for placement on that ballot.”
Fechter cited a precedent from 2023 when LCDC required proof of residency from three candidates during primaries. The candidates were required to show their lease and a utility bill to prove they lived in the district at the time. Fechter was chair of the committee at that time.
“Delegate Samirah is a proud resident of Loudoun County who is the only candidate in the race who has represented the people of this county in the General Assembly,” said Kamran Fareedi, the campaign manager for Samirah.
The challenge from Fechter is addressed to Zach Pruckowski, the chair of the HD-26 nominating committee.
The Democratic Party of Virginia did not provide a comment for this story.
Pruchowski told Virginia Scope Wednesday night that Samirah will be on the ballot for the primary Saturday.
Samirah was elected to the House of Delegates in 2019 until he lost a primary race for his seat in 2021 to Del. Irene Shin. Samirah then unsuccessfully ran for the SD-32 Democratic nomination in 2023, and again this year after Sen. Suhas Subramanyam won the VA-10 race.
Srinivasan endorsed Singh on Wednesday.
“JJ has the tenacity and determination to get big things done for Loudoun. He has a record of stellar public service,” Srinivasan said. “Now, as a successful small business owner, he has the passion and commitment to deliver results for all Virginians. In tough times like these, JJ will be a great Democratic nominee and Delegate.”
State Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, endorsed Istrefi Tuesday.
The firehouse primary to choose the Democratic nominee takes place on Saturday, Nov. 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at three locations: Liberty Elementary School, Creighton’s Corner Elementary School and Cardinal Ridge Elementary School.
Any registered voter in the district who will sign a pledge that they consider themself a Democrat can participate.
The special election takes place on Jan. 7. Republicans nominated Ram Venkatachalam during a mass meeting on Monday.
HD-26 voted for the Democrat by 22 points during the 2023 general election.