In Virginia, Boards of Supervisors govern counties and members are elected to four-year terms. Among other duties, they oversee the county budget, set tax rates and approve zoning regulations. Nelson County’s Board of Supervisors has five members, one for each district. 

The North District seat will be occupied by a new face after Tommy Harvey, who represented the district for more than forty years, chose not to run this year.  

Harvey’s wife, Diane Harvey, is in the running for the seat, along with fellow independents Alvin Cameron Lenahan and Roy White. 

Charlottesville Tomorrow designed a questionnaire for the candidates based on more than 160 responses we received to a voter survey. Only Roy White responded.

You can use the contact information Harvey and Lenahan provided to the Virginia State Department of Elections, searchable by last name, if you would like to reach out to them yourself.

What is your view on development in Nelson County? Should the county encourage growth to bring in more tax revenue, or seek to keep the area more rural?

Roy P. White: Development in rural Nelson County is an important issue. My experience includes developing and implementing budgets for several decades. We agree Nelson County needs practical regulations for development that prioritize the views of our residents to preserve and protect our rural and beautiful mountains, forests, streams, farms, and homes. We also agree our County needs revenue to maintain our quality schools and other vital services residents expect and deserve. My view is that residents and leaders face a serious balancing act. As I go door to door in Afton, I listen carefully as residents tell me they strongly oppose overdevelopment and more traffic, especially in the North District. I agree with my neighbors, and will protect their interests.

Diane S. Harvey: Did not respond.

Alvin Cameron Lenahan: Did not respond.

What is your opinion on data centers in Nelson County?

White: Data Centers are not worth the hassle and harm for the small benefit. The amount of land, electricity, and water required to open and operate a data center is too much for rural Nelson County.  Specifically, our limited drinking water infrastructure may be too small for their very high demand, and Central Virginia Electric Coop has already expressed concerns about diminishing electrical capacity due to data centers outside of Nelson County. Even worse, the noise from  diesel generators during power outages is deafening. Combined, the financial and environmental costs are too high for the expected small return for Nelson County. We should explore other — and better — options for businesses and tax revenue in the County.

Harvey: Did not respond.

Lenahan: Did not respond.

What is your opinion on solar farms in Nelson County?

White: We currently have one solar farm that has been approved in Nelson County, but it is not yet built. The question is whether we want to build more or expand what we have already approved. The solar panels require land, yet they do not cause light, sound, water, and other pollution harms caused by the far more intrusive data centers. They can be a source of steady income for farmers and other Nelson County land owners. Solar power is a responsible option as we move away from expensive fossil fuels. Therefore, public hearings should thoroughly explain the benefits and costs of solar farms. After listening closely to local input, and setting strong preservation and protection rules, limited solar may be an option. The bottom line is to be careful as we preserve the natural beauty of Nelson County.

Harvey: Did not respond.

Lenahan: Did not respond.

Several voters in Nelson County raised concerns in our voter survey about the proposed natural gas pipeline project here. What is your position on the pipeline?

White: I am now and will always be strongly opposed to the Atlantic Coast Pipeline carving through and polluting our beautiful and rural Nelson County. The answer is no pipeline.

Harvey: Did not respond.

Lenahan: Did not respond.

Broadband internet access remains spotty in some areas of Nelson County. Do you as a supervisor plan to help improve access? If so, how?

White: I support the development of improved Wi-Fi in Nelson County. Several years ago, I helped secure fiber optic cable and Wi-Fi service in my Afton neighborhood as part of a County initiative. As we move into the digital age, I believe it is important that as many residents as possible have reliable, quality, and low-cost internet access.

Harvey: Did not respond.

Lenahan: Did not respond.

Editor’s Note:  According to publicly available information, 98% of homes in Nelson County have fiber broadband as of May 2024 after the County signed an agreement with a private provider to increase coverage area. 

Like many rural districts, Nelson County Schools have significant resource constraints. Do you as a supervisor support any plans to increase school funding?

White: Yes, I support strong, safe, quality, and welcoming schools in Nelson County. As a parent who sent my children to local public schools, I believe public schools are vital in our county because they invest in our children and our future. Our faculty, staff, and administrators should be commended for their diligence and performance. They should be fully supported with county funding so their focus is placing the needs of our students as their top priority.

Harvey: Did not respond.

Lenahan: Did not respond.

Like many areas in central Virginia, Nelson County has and could face challenges from severe weather events, including heavy rainstorms and prolonged droughts that climate scientists predict will become more frequent in the future. What do you think the county’s Board of Supervisors should do to prepare?

White: Public safety is an important issue. People who live in Nelson County have vivid memories about the cataclysmic damage caused by Hurricane Camille in 1969. We are fortunate that our county has an Emergency Services agency that is set up in the event of another disaster. I want to see that this agency is properly funded so it can quickly and responsibly handle disasters.

Harvey: Did not respond.

Lenahan: Did not respond.

Access to health care is a key challenge for some Nelson County residents. Do you see this as an issue the Board of Supervisors can help address? If so, how?

White: Our Nelson County Board of Supervisors should closely monitor events related to the decreases in federal funding of medical care expected to start in 2026. Specifically, I attended a recent public meeting where funding for our local health department, the Virginia health department, and Veterans Affairs were reviewed. When the federal budget cuts reach Nelson County next year, healthcare for many residents may be restricted or delayed. The services include local medical clinics, mental health, and a wide range of services offered to people who have little other access to medical services. Local service providers are also closely monitoring the situation and looking at alternative sources of funding. I plan to be constantly engaged on this issue to protect the health of fellow Nelson County residents. I plan to encourage our government agencies and providers to facilitate ways and means to maintain prompt access to local and quality healthcare.

Harvey: Did not respond.

Lenahan: Did not respond.

What do you think about local law enforcement working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement?

White: In the unlikely event that federal agents request local services, then county supervisors should make sure all additional expenses are fully paid by the federal agency so local residents don’t pay. Nelson County, with a population of 15,000, does not possess the funding, staffing, or facilities to handle a large-scale federal effort. After speaking with residents, I agree with voters who prefer that our superb local law enforcement officers spend their limited time and resources towards their primary mission of local law enforcement.

Harvey: Did not respond.

Lenahan: Did not respond.

Are there any other pressing issues facing Nelson County you wish voters to know about?

White: During the past few months, I’ve knocked on hundreds of doors, carefully listening to the hopes and concerns of my neighbors. I plan to continue listening and carefully responding to their needs. Their top concerns include traffic, overdevelopment, preserving our rural atmosphere, and maintaining our quality of life. I want voters in Nelson County to feel that their elected Supervisors are engaged in promoting and facilitating pragmatic policies that are in the best interest of Nelson County. I want to be seen as a Supervisor who listens, cares, and has the integrity to be trusted by the people of Nelson County.

Harvey: Did not respond.

Lenahan: Did not respond.

More about the candidate and issues

• Incumbent Tommy Harvey has missed nearly a year of meetings (Nelson County Times, April 13, 2025, paywalled)
• Industrial solar farm set to come up in Nelson County sparks debate over impact and benefits (ABC13, Jan 28, 2025)
• 98% of the homes in Nelson County now have fiber optic internet (ABC13, May 22, 2024)

Here are key dates and deadlines in the 2025 elections

Friday, May 2, 2025	Early voting for primaries begins weekdays at local registrar’s offices.
Tuesday, May 27, 2025	Deadline to register to vote or update an existing registration for the primary election. You can still vote in the primary if you miss this deadline by registering at the polling place and casting a provisional ballot. You do not have to be a member of a political party to vote in that party’s primary election. However, you can only vote in one party’s primary election each year.
Friday, June 6, 2025, 5:00 p.m.	Deadline to apply for your ballot to be mailed to you. Requests must be received by your local registrar’s offices by 5 p.m.
Friday, June 6, 2025, 5:00 p.m.	Deadline to apply online for an absentee ballot using the Citizen Portal.
Saturday, June 7, 2025	Local voter registration offices open on Saturdays for early voting for primaries.
Saturday, June 14, 2025, 5:00 p.m.	Early voting for primaries ends at local registrar’s offices.
Tuesday, June 17, 2025	Primary Election Day!
Friday, Sept. 19 to Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025 5:00 p.m.	Check with your local registrar’s office for early in-person voting.
Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, 5:00 p.m.	Deadline to apply with your local registrar’s office for a ballot to be mailed to you.
Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025	Election Day!

We will update this list periodically as deadlines approach or we receive new information.

Register to vote, check your registration, find your polling places and apply to vote absentee at the Virginia Department of Elections here. Remember, even if you miss registration deadlines, you can register through Election Day and vote using a provisional ballot.

Need to know if you’re eligible to vote? Here are resources from the Virginia Department of Elections.