Democrat Ibraheem Samirah won the February 19 special election for the District 86 seat in the Virginia House of Delegates with 59.5 percent of the vote, according to unofficial election night results. He defeated Republican Gregg Nelson and independent candidate Connie Haines Hutchinson. The candidates were selected through firehouse primaries administered by each political party.

 

The seat became vacant after Jennifer Boysko (D) won a special election for District 33 of the Virginia State Senate on January 8.

 

Entering the special election, the Virginia House of Delegates had 48 Democrats, 51 Republicans, and one vacancy. Virginia has a divided government. The governor is a Democrat, but both chambers of the state legislature are held by Republican majorities.