Linda Q. Smyth is a former member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for the Providence district, serving from 2003 until her retirement after the 2019 election in which she was succeeded by school board member Dalia Palchik.

Political Career and Community Involvement

Linda Smyth has been a resident of Fairfax County, Virginia since 1972. In 1999, Providence District Supervisor Gerry Connolly appointed Smyth to the Fairfax County Planning Commission to replace attorney Carl A. S. Coan, Jr. When Connolly decided to run for Chairman of the Board of Supervisors following

Katherine Hanley Katherine Keith "Kate" Hanley (born March 5, 1943) is an American Democratic politician in Virginia. She currently serves as Secretary of the Fairfax County Electoral Board. She previously served as Secretary of the Commonwealth of Virginia from ...

's decision to not seek a second term in 2003, Smyth decided to seek the Providence District seat he would be vacating. At the Democratic caucus held in May 2003, Smyth, backed by Connolly, defeated slow growth advocate Becky Cate, who was supported by former Board Chairman Audrey Moore, and Pat Morrison. She was elected to her first term as Supervisor for the Providence District in November 2003, defeating Republican James E. Hyland, and sworn in on December 15, 2003. Unhappiness with development projects in Smyth's Providence District, such as in Tysons Corner and the Merrifield-Dunn Loring neighborhood, as well as the development of the MetroWest planned community near the Vienna Metro station, led to community activist Charles W. Hall challenging Smyth in the 2007 Democratic primary. Smyth defeated Hall in the June primary, and went on to run unopposed in the November 2007 election. Smyth was elected to her third four-year term in November 2011, defeating Republican Chris S. Grisafe. Currently, Smyth chairs the Board of Supervisors' Technology Committee. In addition, Smyth is the on the Board of Directors of the Virginia Association of Counties and serves on the

Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) is an independent, nonprofit association where area leaders address regional issues affecting the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia. Metropolitan Washington Council ...

Transportation Planning Board and

Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) is an independent, nonprofit association where area leaders address regional issues affecting the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland and Northern Virginia. Metropolitan Washington Council ...

, and the Northern Virginia Regional Commission.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Smyth, Linda Living people Virginia Democrats Members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Women in Virginia politics People from Cape Girardeau, Missouri 21st-century American politicians 1949 births 21st-century American women politicians University of Virginia alumni Washington University in St. Louis alumni