This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Republican Delegate Otto Wachsmann faces a challenge from Democrat Mary Person in HD-83.
Virginia's House District 83 includes portions of Isle of Wight and Dinwiddie counties, as well as the entirety of Emporia City, Southampton, Brunswick, Sussex, and Greensville counties. In the 2024 election it leaned Republican by single-digit margins.
Virginia's House District 83 includes portions of Isle of Wight and Dinwiddie counties, as well as the entirety of Emporia City, Southampton, Brunswick, Sussex, and Greensville counties. In the 2024 election it leaned Republican by single-digit margins.
Mary L. Person is an Emporia native and longtime educator with over a quarter-century of experience—including 12 years supporting students with autism and serving as a middle school principal. A former Mayor and City Council member, she championed scholarships, affordable housing initiatives, water quality improvements, and workforce development. Now running for Delegate in District 83, she prioritizes strong public schools, rural healthcare access, economic opportunity, and community safety in her campaign.
Mary Person believes every child deserves a fully funded public school with qualified teachers and safe classrooms. As such, she opposes the school vouchers that take money away from public schools. She pledges to invest in teachers, students, and classrooms, and will work to expand early childhood education. As mayor, she championed free community college scholarships.
Person prioritizes job creation and attracting investments. She intends to focus on building opportunities that attract new business and investment through education, workforce readiness, and training. As mayor, she advocated for a first-time homebuyer program, improved housing standards, and a regional workforce training center.
Person pledges to fight to increase healthcare services, especially in rural communities. She called out the “Big Bad Bill” for gutting Medicaid and rural healthcare.
She believes safe neighborhoods are the foundation for strong communities and vows to invest in first responders, public safety infrastructure, and mental health practitioners.
Delegate Wachsmann voted against bills to enshrine abortion rights, restore voting rights to returning citizens, and enshrine equal marriage rights in Virginia’s Constitution.
- Voted against authorizing public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- Voted for a “forced outing” bill targeting transgender students
- Voted against increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted against establishing paid family and medical leave
- Voted against repealing prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted against establishing regulatory bodies to establish a Virginia cannabis industry
- Voted against prohibiting landlords from requiring tenants to cover extra fees
- Voted against preserving local housing
- Voted against establishing the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- Voted against establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board
- Voted against establishing the right to access and use FDA-approved birth control
- Voted against requiring insurance providers to cover birth control
- Voted against a bill that would require secure storage of firearms in households where children live
- Voted against a bill establishing regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Voted against establishing Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
Mary Person believes every child deserves a fully funded public school with qualified teachers and safe classrooms. As such, she opposes the school vouchers that take money away from public schools. She pledges to invest in teachers, students, and classrooms, and will work to expand early childhood education. As mayor, she championed free community college scholarships.
Person prioritizes job creation and attracting investments. She intends to focus on building opportunities that attract new business and investment through education, workforce readiness, and training. As mayor, she advocated for a first-time homebuyer program, improved housing standards, and a regional workforce training center.
Person pledges to fight to increase healthcare services, especially in rural communities. She called out the “Big Bad Bill” for gutting Medicaid and rural healthcare.
She believes safe neighborhoods are the foundation for strong communities and vows to invest in first responders, public safety infrastructure, and mental health practitioners.
The Opposition
Incumbent Republican Delegate Otto Wachsmann was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2021. He also ran for the seat in 2019. He was named Director of Experiential Education at the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy at Shenandoah University and also served as President of the Virginia Pharmacists Association. He and his wife have two daughters and two grandchildren.Delegate Wachsmann voted against bills to enshrine abortion rights, restore voting rights to returning citizens, and enshrine equal marriage rights in Virginia’s Constitution.
- Voted against authorizing public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- Voted for a “forced outing” bill targeting transgender students
- Voted against increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted against establishing paid family and medical leave
- Voted against repealing prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted against establishing regulatory bodies to establish a Virginia cannabis industry
- Voted against prohibiting landlords from requiring tenants to cover extra fees
- Voted against preserving local housing
- Voted against establishing the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- Voted against establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board
- Voted against establishing the right to access and use FDA-approved birth control
- Voted against requiring insurance providers to cover birth control
- Voted against a bill that would require secure storage of firearms in households where children live
- Voted against a bill establishing regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Voted against establishing Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
Recommendation
Based on her advocacy for quality, public education and affordable healthcare, Mary Person is the progressive candidate in this race.
Last updated: 2025-09-22
This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Republican Delegate Otto Wachsmann faces a challenge from Democrat Mary Person in HD-83.
Virginia's House District 83 includes portions of Isle of Wight and Dinwiddie counties, as well as the entirety of Emporia City, Southampton, Brunswick, Sussex, and Greensville counties. In the 2024 election it leaned Republican by single-digit margins.
Virginia's House District 83 includes portions of Isle of Wight and Dinwiddie counties, as well as the entirety of Emporia City, Southampton, Brunswick, Sussex, and Greensville counties. In the 2024 election it leaned Republican by single-digit margins.
Mary L. Person is an Emporia native and longtime educator with over a quarter-century of experience—including 12 years supporting students with autism and serving as a middle school principal. A former Mayor and City Council member, she championed scholarships, affordable housing initiatives, water quality improvements, and workforce development. Now running for Delegate in District 83, she prioritizes strong public schools, rural healthcare access, economic opportunity, and community safety in her campaign.
Mary Person believes every child deserves a fully funded public school with qualified teachers and safe classrooms. As such, she opposes the school vouchers that take money away from public schools. She pledges to invest in teachers, students, and classrooms, and will work to expand early childhood education. As mayor, she championed free community college scholarships.
Person prioritizes job creation and attracting investments. She intends to focus on building opportunities that attract new business and investment through education, workforce readiness, and training. As mayor, she advocated for a first-time homebuyer program, improved housing standards, and a regional workforce training center.
Person pledges to fight to increase healthcare services, especially in rural communities. She called out the “Big Bad Bill” for gutting Medicaid and rural healthcare.
She believes safe neighborhoods are the foundation for strong communities and vows to invest in first responders, public safety infrastructure, and mental health practitioners.
Delegate Wachsmann voted against bills to enshrine abortion rights, restore voting rights to returning citizens, and enshrine equal marriage rights in Virginia’s Constitution.
- Voted against authorizing public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- Voted for a “forced outing” bill targeting transgender students
- Voted against increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted against establishing paid family and medical leave
- Voted against repealing prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted against establishing regulatory bodies to establish a Virginia cannabis industry
- Voted against prohibiting landlords from requiring tenants to cover extra fees
- Voted against preserving local housing
- Voted against establishing the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- Voted against establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board
- Voted against establishing the right to access and use FDA-approved birth control
- Voted against requiring insurance providers to cover birth control
- Voted against a bill that would require secure storage of firearms in households where children live
- Voted against a bill establishing regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Voted against establishing Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
Mary Person believes every child deserves a fully funded public school with qualified teachers and safe classrooms. As such, she opposes the school vouchers that take money away from public schools. She pledges to invest in teachers, students, and classrooms, and will work to expand early childhood education. As mayor, she championed free community college scholarships.
Person prioritizes job creation and attracting investments. She intends to focus on building opportunities that attract new business and investment through education, workforce readiness, and training. As mayor, she advocated for a first-time homebuyer program, improved housing standards, and a regional workforce training center.
Person pledges to fight to increase healthcare services, especially in rural communities. She called out the “Big Bad Bill” for gutting Medicaid and rural healthcare.
She believes safe neighborhoods are the foundation for strong communities and vows to invest in first responders, public safety infrastructure, and mental health practitioners.
The Opposition
Incumbent Republican Delegate Otto Wachsmann was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2021. He also ran for the seat in 2019. He was named Director of Experiential Education at the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy at Shenandoah University and also served as President of the Virginia Pharmacists Association. He and his wife have two daughters and two grandchildren.Delegate Wachsmann voted against bills to enshrine abortion rights, restore voting rights to returning citizens, and enshrine equal marriage rights in Virginia’s Constitution.
- Voted against authorizing public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- Voted for a “forced outing” bill targeting transgender students
- Voted against increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted against establishing paid family and medical leave
- Voted against repealing prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted against establishing regulatory bodies to establish a Virginia cannabis industry
- Voted against prohibiting landlords from requiring tenants to cover extra fees
- Voted against preserving local housing
- Voted against establishing the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- Voted against establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board
- Voted against establishing the right to access and use FDA-approved birth control
- Voted against requiring insurance providers to cover birth control
- Voted against a bill that would require secure storage of firearms in households where children live
- Voted against a bill establishing regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Voted against establishing Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
Recommendation
Based on her advocacy for quality, public education and affordable healthcare, Mary Person is the progressive candidate in this race.
Last updated: 2025-09-22
