Carlos Pretelt
Arlington County Board
Empowered by GoodParty.org
About the Office
The County Legislature or Executive Board is the governing body of the county and exercises broad policy-making authority. The Board is charged with implementing policy and overseeing the county budget process and allocation.
Term Length
4 years
Election Date
Nov 4, 2025
About Me
Party
Independent
Occupation
International Crisis Response
Fun Fact
I love to play rugby and have been playing for over 20 years. I learned to play rugby when I was stationed in South Korea and have had the opportunity to play against international teams with the All Army rugby team. I also love to play board games and enjoy living in the fittest city in the US!
Past Experience
{"skills":"Communication. Communication. Communication. I intend to make this the hallmark of my campaign. Politics is sorely lacking communication between parties and factions. The ability to truly listen, understand, and acknowledge other points of view. So that all participants can feel seen. ","achievements":"I have not run for office in the past, but was a fierce advocate of Ranked Choice Voting for the past few years, participating in open forums, writing letters to the board, and volunteering with the League of Women Voters. ","responsibility":"I am not entirely familiar what responsibilities are directly correlated with the Arlington County Board, but I have experience leading complex organizations in the military, responsible for ensuring the maintenance and sustenance of thousands of service members in austere environments. "}
My Top Issues
Increasing affordable housing options
There is a desperate need in Arlington County for affordable housing. The Arlington County Board voted in the last election to change zoning laws, allowing previously zone single family housing to build duplexes or up to sixes on one property. This was immediately challenged in court and has been bogged down since then. Many believe the County Board pushed too hard too fast. I would ask to revisit this and maybe start first with duplexes and revisit the initiative in a few years. The concerns of the individuals who are not supportive of this initiative are valid and should be acknowledged in our actions.
Invest in mental health resources
I feel very strongly about the impact and need for available mental health resources in the community. Not just for veterans, but individuals living in the streets or those going through crises as well.
Ranked Choice Voting
I am a fierce advocate for RCV and believe Arlington could serve as a model for other cities looking to change the way we conduct politics. The goal is to impulse a grassroots movement which eventually influences Virginia to look seriously at RCV as a legitimate way to improve our political climate.
Housing
I would work to increase housing options in Arlington County by incentivizing all new high-rise rental developers to include condos in their proposals. This would help Arlington's new residents build financial equity and have a higher stake in their community.
Government Reform
As I work to maintain Arlington beautiful, I would revise the use of political signs on roadway medians in Arlington. Weak rules allow candidates to spam our public land for 100 days out of the year. Political signs on median strips must be restricted in time and location.
Government Reform
When elected, I will vote to increase voter representation in Arlington County by supporting Delegate Patrick Hope’s bill (HB 2768). The bill seeks to improve our form of government and create district-specific representation on the County Board.
Who I'm Running Against
Takis Karantonis (Democrat Party)
Economist, Greece migrant, and city planner. Takis is the current incumbent chair of the County Board and he has decades of experience in city planning. Takis is an advocate of Ranked Choice Voting at the time, but he may change his opinion in the future. He will be a formidable opponent.
The GoodParty.org Pledge
All candidates empowered by GoodParty.org agree to the following:
Independent
Candidates are running outside the two-party system as an Independent, nonpartisan, or third-party candidate.
People-Powered
Candidates take the majority of their funds from grassroots donors and reject the influence of special interests and big money.
Anti-Corruption
Candidates pledge to be accountable and transparent with their policy agendas and report attempts to unduly influence them.
Civility
Candidates pledge to run a clean campaign free of mudslinging and uphold a minimum standard of civility in their campaign's conduct.
Build a better democracy with us.
Ready to join the movement? Support candidates, run for office or join our online community of like-minded individuals.
Run for office
Discover how you can run for office and make a real impact in your community.
Start your campaign
GoodParty.org Community
Connect with other Independents, and explore opportunities for learning and volunteering.
Join the community
Run Independent. Win local.
A step-by-step guide to running and winning as an Independent. Free to download, built to help you win local.
Download the free e-book