The Republican committee in Fairfax County, Virginia, has filed a formal complaint alleging serious security flaws in the county’s absentee ballot system.
The news raises concerns about voter privacy just weeks before crucial statewide elections.
Fairfax GOP Chair Katie Gorka sent a letter to county election officials outlining what she described as a significant election security issue affecting tens of thousands of voters in the longtime Democratic stronghold in northern Virginia.
The letter alleged “a MASSIVE election security scandal” in the county.
According to the letter, as of October 15, 2025, the county had distributed 84,062 absentee ballots to voters, with 77,583 going to residents within the United States.
Of those distributed ballots, 29,106 had been returned by mail and 3,366 through dropboxes, while 495 absentee ballot recipients chose to vote in person instead.
The Republican committee expressed concern that these numbers represent a substantial volume of potentially compromised ballots.
Gorka stated in her letter that the situation could result in widespread violations of ballot secrecy requirements.
The party chair emphasized that the primary risk stems from mail-in voting procedures.
She cited previous testimony from a state elections official to support her concerns about the reliability of mail-based voting systems.
Gorka referenced comments made by Department of Elections Commissioner Susan Beals on September 4, 2024, during testimony to the General Assembly Privileges and Elections Committee.
Beals stated at that time: “If I had to name what my biggest concern is for the 2024 general election, it would be the operational performance of the United States Postal Service.”
The Republican committee’s complaint specifically highlighted concerns about the ballot envelope design.
According to the letter, the envelopes may allow voters’ selections to be visible from the outside, particularly votes for Republican Attorney General candidate Jason Miyares.
This potential exposure could constitute a violation of state ballot secrecy laws, which are designed to protect voter privacy and prevent any form of intimidation or influence based on voting choices.
The Fairfax County Republicans concluded their letter with several demands for immediate corrective measures.
They called on election officials to notify affected voters about the potential security issues.
The committee also recommended that officials advise voters to cast their ballots in person whenever possible to avoid any potential privacy breaches.
Additionally, they urged officials to implement measures ensuring all remaining ballots stay secure and confidential throughout the election process.
The letter ended with a request for acknowledgment and transparency.
“We request that the Fairfax County Office of Elections acknowledge receiving our official complaint and inform the public as to the next steps they will take to secure the election,” Gorka wrote.
Virginia’s early voting period extends for 45 days, having begun on Sept. 19.
Voters have until Oct. 24 to request mail-in ballots, while early in-person voting continues through Nov. 1, concluding three days before Election Day on Nov. 4.
Virginia elections in 2025 have attracted significant national attention, as typically occurs in the year following presidential elections when both Virginia and New Jersey hold their gubernatorial contests.
The gubernatorial race between Democratic Party nominee Abigail Spanberger and Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears has received considerable coverage from national media outlets.
The attorney general race has drawn even more intense scrutiny due to a major controversy involving Democratic nominee Jay Jones.
Leaked text messages revealed Jones making violent statements about political opponents and their children, causing widespread national outrage.
The scandal severely damaged Jones’ campaign prospects.
Republican incumbent Jason Miyares has reversed his position in the polls, now leading after trailing by 10 percentage points just two months earlier.
