To the editor:

Elizabeth Bennett-Parker likes to knock on doors, but not just for votes. She knocks on doors to ask residents their opinion on issues facing our community. This is the type of engagement Elizabeth brought to City Council as vice mayor. It is this type of engagement she has delivered during her campaign for House of Delegates this year.

And Elizabeth has a proven record of delivering meaningful change for the residents of the 45th House district.

Elizabeth voted for the largest single investment in early childhood education in the city’s history. She worked to increase the supply of affordable housing, declare a climate emergency, take concrete actions to cut carbon emissions and amend Alexandria’s human rights code to include gender identity as a protected class. She will take her experience championing these issues at the local level to Richmond.

Earlier this year, Elizabeth worked with unions representing city employees, firefighters and police to craft an ordinance that made Alexandria the first community in the Commonwealth in 40 years to have collective bargaining. Because of her efforts, public employees will be at the table to ensure they have fair wages and working conditions.

Republicans running for statewide offices and the House of Delegates, including Elizabeth’s opponent, will take these rights away from workers. Republicans will also reinstate discriminatory laws against immigrants and LGBTQ individuals, cut millions from Virginia’s schools and eliminate access to reproductive health care.

Please join me in voting for Elizabeth and Democrats up and down the ticket so we can keep moving Virginia forward.

-Colleen Gehrig, Alexandria