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Primary voters decided that it will be Nadarius Clark and Mike Dillender facing off on the ballot in November for the open Virginia House of Delegates District 84 seat.

With only provisional ballots outstanding in the city of Franklin as of Tuesday morning, June 27, Clark had earned 81.75% of the vote in his Democratic Primary race against Michele Joyce, garnering 4,171 votes to Joyce’s 931, according to unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections.

“I’m just so thankful, I’m so blessed that the 84th District voters came out and they showed out today at the polls,” Clark said Tuesday evening, June 20, which was election night. Acknowledging the 80-plus percent of votes he received, he added that “it sends a clear message who the voters in the 84th District want to represent them and go up this November in the general (election).”

With only provisional ballots outstanding in Franklin as of Tuesday morning, June 27, Dillender had received 67.34% of the vote in his Republican Primary race against Rod Thompson, which translated into 3,741 votes to Thompson’s 1,814, according to the VDE.

“I’m thrilled to win (the primary) and just looking forward to moving on to the general election cycle,” Dillender said Tuesday evening, June 20. “It’s very exciting.”

The Virginia Public Access Project website notes that Virginia House District 84, which was redrawn in 2022, includes part of the city of Suffolk, a part which comprises 77.2% of the district and includes 51,286 registered voters; part of Isle of Wight County, a part which comprises 13.41% of the district and includes 8,907 registered voters; all of the city of Franklin, which comprises 8.91% of the district and includes 5,919 registered voters; and a small part of the city of Chesapeake, a part which comprises 0.48% of the district and includes 321 registered voters.

House District 84’s voters come from the old District 76, the old District 64 and the old District 75, VPAP.org states.

Drawing from VDE’s data, in Suffolk, Clark was dominant, defeating Joyce 3,475-731. He received 82.62% of the vote.

In Isle of Wight he won 317-93, with 77.32% of the vote, and in Franklin, he won 349-107, with 76.54% of the vote. 

Only 30 votes were tallied in the small portion of Chesapeake represented within the district, and they all went to Clark.

“I’m just so thankful and blessed to have the support of the community,” he said. “Going out here hitting the doors, I believe we did about 16,000 doors this primary, just meeting people where they are, and that proves to work.”

In the Republican Primary, Dillender received 70.16% of votes cast in Suffolk, topping Thompson 2,744-1,167, the VDE stated.

In Isle of Wight, it was 680-482 in favor of Dillender, as he received 58.52% of the vote, and in Franklin, Dillender won 315-164, earning 65.76% of the vote.

Only three votes were cast in Chesapeake, two going to Dillender and one going to Thompson.

Clark expressed his hopes that his victory Tuesday will carry over into the general election.

“Now we’ve got to continue the momentum, keep this energy going because we’ve got to bring it home in November as well,” he said. “So much is on the line when we talk about equity and we talk about our education and health care and affordable housing. So much is on the line when we talk about reproductive rights. 

“So we just have to make sure that we show out and show out again and the voters come out like they did today and they do this again in November,” he added. “So we’re just going to keep going full steam ahead until November.”

Dillender also communicated zeal to begin his own general election campaign.

“Just excited to continue to talk to as many voters as I possibly can and to make sure that they understand who I am and my strengths as a candidate,” he said. “And I really enjoy interacting with as many different voters as I possibly can. So that’s what I’m focused on here, the next few months.”

Election Day for the general election will be Tuesday, Nov. 7.