What does a YES vote on Arlington County mean?

Arlington County could borrow up to $20,745,000 by issuing bonds to design, expand, improve and renovate its Water Pollution Control Plant and water and sewer systems.

What does a NO vote on Arlington County mean?

Arlington County would not issue these $20,745,000 in bonds.

What else is on the County's bond ballot?

The County Manager proposed four County bond questions totaling $182.3 million: community infrastructure ($56.8 million), Metro and transportation ($69.7 million), parks and recreation ($34.9 million) and utilities ($20.7 million). Arlington Public Schools separately sought $60 million for school projects.

How many votes does Arlington County need to pass?

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Should I vote yes or no on Arlington County?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.

The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.

Arlington County — Utilities

Last updated Sat, Nov 7, 3:09 PM ET

Ballot measure · November 3, 2026

What it does: QUESTION: Shall Arlington County contract a debt and issue its general obligation bonds in the maximum amount of $20,745,000 to finance, together with other available funds, the cost of designing, expanding, improving, and renovating Arlington County's Water Pollution Control Plant and the water and sewer systems serving the County?
A YES vote means: Arlington County could borrow up to $20,745,000 by issuing bonds to design, expand, improve and renovate its Water Pollution Control Plant and water and sewer systems.
A NO vote means: Arlington County would not issue these $20,745,000 in bonds.
Needed to pass: A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Left–right lean: Not a left–right issue: a procedural or local question that liberals and conservatives don't typically split on (AI read of the official ballot summary).

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Explained

Today

Arlington County runs a Water Pollution Control Plant and water and sewer systems. Arlington presents its general obligation bond requests to voters in November of even-numbered years as part of its 10-year Capital Improvement Plan.
The County Manager's proposed FY2027-2036 Capital Improvement Plan totals about $4.3 billion, with $182.3 million in proposed 2026 County bond referenda across four questions.

If it passes

The County could issue up to $20,745,000 in general obligation bonds, together with other available funds, to design, expand, improve and renovate the Water Pollution Control Plant and the water and sewer systems serving the County.
The County says the utilities bonds are primarily for its capital contributions to the Washington Aqueduct and for various water and sewer maintenance projects.

Who would notice

Arlington County residents and businesses served by the County's water and sewer systems, and County taxpayers.

How it got here

The bond question is part of the County's 2026 bond referenda adopted with its FY2027-2036 Capital Improvement Plan; the County Manager proposed it in spring 2026, subject to County Board approval, and it appears on the November 3, 2026 ballot.

Written by SpectrumVote from 2 linked sources (1, 2). Arguments are each side's own, not ours; the official text is what you vote on.

Background

The County Board approved the referenda resolutions on July 21, 2026, alongside its FY2027-2036 Capital Improvement Plan: $184,260,000 in county questions plus an $80,000,000 schools question, five questions in all.

The County Manager's report lists the utilities question's primary projects as Washington Aqueduct capital, the water-main replacement program, Trade Center equipment and improvements, and water tank rehabilitation.

The County Manager's report says that if voters approve, the county cannot shift money between referendum categories. The Board may change specific projects within a category or issue fewer bonds than authorized.

The report projects Utilities fund debt service of $11.2 million in FY2027 and $14.3 million in FY2028, covering existing and planned bonds.

Put on the ballot by Arlington County Board, July 21, 2026 (Item 40, bond referenda resolutions; tally not stated in the county's summary).

From official source 1, official source 2.

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Quick answers

What does a YES vote on Arlington County mean?: Arlington County could borrow up to $20,745,000 by issuing bonds to design, expand, improve and renovate its Water Pollution Control Plant and water and sewer systems.
What does a NO vote on Arlington County mean?: Arlington County would not issue these $20,745,000 in bonds.
What else is on the County's bond ballot?: The County Manager proposed four County bond questions totaling $182.3 million: community infrastructure ($56.8 million), Metro and transportation ($69.7 million), parks and recreation ($34.9 million) and utilities ($20.7 million). Arlington Public Schools separately sought $60 million for school projects.
How many votes does Arlington County need to pass?: A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
Should I vote yes or no on Arlington County?: SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.
When is the vote?: The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.

Not sure how to decide? Read our nonpartisan guide to the Arlington County ballot.

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