By Alexander Shedd
Virginia is one of two states that holds an election every year. 2022 is a midterm election year nationally; in Salem, constituents this year will vote on their next federal representative for the VA-9 Congressional District as well as City Council. The primary election for the House of Representatives will take place on June 21, 2022, while the general election for both the House and Salem City Council will take place on Nov. 8, 2022. As per a recent Council decision, the local general elections are held in November this year rather than the previous May date.
Out of the three Council seats (not including mayor and vice mayor), there are two up for grabs this year: that of Councilman Randy Foley and that of Councilman John Saunders, both of whom are running for reelection. Also running for an open seat is Hunter Holliday, president of Veteran Events Management, Inc., and a member of the Salem Republican Committee. He is running as a Republican, while Councilmen Foley and Saunders are not tied to a particular party identity. Currently collecting signatures for eligibility as of presstime, also hoping to run for a seat is longtime former Roanoke County official Anne Marie Green, the current president of Roanoke nonprofit Council of Community Services.
Councilman Randy Foley was first elected to City Council in 2006 and served as the mayor of Salem from 2008 to 2020. A Salem native and Air Force veteran, Foley serves on the following Boards and Committees: Board of Directors of the Roanoke Regional Partnership,
