Sufiyan “Sef” Casim won the Democratic primary for the Woodbridge District seat on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors on Monday, clearing the way for his name to appear on the March 10 special election ballot.
Key Takeaways
Date, time, place: Feb. 9, 2026, 10:20 a.m. | Prince William County Office of Elections, Manassas
- Sufiyan “Sef” Casim was declared the Democratic nominee with 291 votes.
- The decision was finalized Monday to meet the March 10 ballot deadline.
- Casim will face Republican nominee Jeannie LaCroix in the special election.
Full Coverage
Woodbridge businessman and political newcomer Sufiyan “Sef” Casim was declared the winner of the Democratic primary for the Woodbridge District seat on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors following a voter eligibility review Monday morning.
According to reporting by the Prince William Times, Casim, 35, received 291 votes, defeating Pam Montgomery, 69, who received 258 votes. The results were finalized after Prince William County Democratic Committee volunteers and party leaders completed address and voter registration checks at the Prince William County Office of Elections in Manassas.
The Democratic Committee needed to certify a nominee by Monday in order to meet state filing deadlines for the March 10 special election. With the certification complete, Casim will face Republican nominee Jeannie LaCroix.
The Woodbridge District seat opened after former Supervisor Margaret Franklin resigned to take office in Richmond following her January victory in a special election for Virginia’s 23rd House District.
Casim’s victory followed a lengthy vote-counting process that stretched late into Saturday night after Montgomery requested a recount. Party officials reviewed all voter declaration statements and determined that 31 voters who participated in the caucus lived outside the Woodbridge District.
Party leaders also reviewed seven provisional ballots, including Casim’s, to confirm residency and voter registration status. According to Democratic Committee Chair Sam Chisolm, two provisional ballots were disqualified because the voters lived outside the district, and three were disqualified because the voters were not registered.
Chisolm said the disqualified ballots would not have changed the outcome of the race.
“Even if we could legally remove the 31 votes and took them away from Casim, he would still prevail,” Chisolm said, according to the Prince William Times.
Chisolm also cited logistical challenges during the Saturday caucus, including traffic congestion caused by a Buddhist Walk for Peace event near the Hilton Garden Inn, one of the voting locations. Party volunteers were required to relocate to a neighboring hotel to count and recount ballots.
“We had to move, and we had to maintain the integrity of all the ballots, which we did,” Chisolm said.
Montgomery declined to comment Monday morning, according to the Prince William Times. She had been considered the frontrunner due to her six years as Franklin’s chief of staff and endorsements from several high-profile local and regional officials.
The Woodbridge District seat is considered pivotal on the seven-member Board of Supervisors, particularly on votes related to data center rezonings. Franklin consistently supported data center projects, and with the seat vacant, the board has operated with a 4–3 majority more skeptical of new applications.
Casim has previously said data centers should not be approved near homes, schools, or environmentally sensitive areas. He also campaigned against the county’s agreement allowing federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to use the county police department’s weapons training center.
Potomac Local News made multiple attempts to contact the Prince William County Democratic Committee for an official statement. Those calls were not returned.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Potomac Local News editors for accuracy and clarity.
