Yasmin Shafiq
2026 Herndon Town Council Candidate

Yasmin Shafiq for Herndon Town Council 2026 — Town of Herndon, Virginia

Neighbor Public Servant Leader

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Endorsed By
SEIU Virginia State Council
Service Employees International Union
Senator Jennifer Boysko
Senator Jennifer Boysko
Senate District 38
Delegate Irene Shin
Delegate Irene Shin
House District 8
About the Candidate
Yasmin Shafiq

Neighbor.
Public Servant.

Growing up a NOVA native Muslim, I was taught in Sunday school to leave a place better than I found it. At home, my Bangladeshi parents modeled how to be in community with friends, neighbors, colleagues, and even strangers. That’s how I grew up — with a foundation in service and always in community.

Service is my North Star. In high school, I served on the Reston Board of Governors as a teen representative. At Virginia Tech, besides my degree in Crop & Soil Environmental Sciences, I led a student organization. After college, I served on the Board of the ADAMS Center for several years. In 2016, I committed to being a Fairfax County Election Officer and I’ve now worked in 21 elections.

So, when we were all facing existential questions in 2020, I came to the realization that besides being a person that needed to work, I needed my daily work to be in service of my community. I found that daily work in county government, where I proudly support a robust park system. I also found being in service to my colleagues through my union — SEIU — incredibly impactful, including by negotiating the first-ever union contract for Fairfax County General Government Employees, which includes over 11,000 people.

I am running for Herndon Town Council to bring my public service resume to work for my neighbors. Speaking of, please chime in and take my survey so I can best represent the Town of Herndon. Let’s do great government together.

Union Strong SEIU Full Time Public Servant Election Officer Virginia Tech Booz Allen / EY Alum Neighbor
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Herndon deserves
great government.

Reach out to share what matters most to you.

Housing

Affordable housing.
Northern Virginia lacks affordable housing, and Herndon has almost none. We are projected to grow our population by over 50% and double housing units by 2040. Well-rounded communities contain people and families of all backgrounds – including in incomes and job types. I aim to increase our affordable housing stock by mirroring greater County policies with new development.
Responsible development.
While Herndon wasn't initially developed to one cohesive plan, it contains pockets of walkability and a mix of housing, retail, community/park, and office space. The goal is to facilitate as much balanced zoning as possible while facilitating growth. This is tough, and it's why we need a high level of engagement on the Town Council.

Parks and Environment

Managing parks, trails, and open space.
Maintaining and growing our green and open spaces is paramount to me as a parks professional. This will not be easy as we get more connected via the Silver metro line and we incorporate dense housing, but I look forward to meeting the challenge with the best ideas (from you!) and diligence.
Environmental sustainability for Herndon.
As our population grows, and our environment changes, it's our responsibility to use resources wisely. This can mean a lot of things! A couple of those are that I would like to explore our best ideas for judicious water usage, and to consult our Public Works departments for their recommendations.

Transportation and Mobility

Better walkability.
Connected towns are healthy towns. In a perfect world, all of our roads would have sidewalks and bike lanes, and we would have trails connecting our shopping centers to our neighborhoods. Where and when possible, I'd like to bring more 'walkability' to our town.
Connecting Herndon.
We are the only Town in Virginia with a Metro stop. Much of our projected growth will happen there, and we must effectively connect our town to Metro.

Community and Inclusion

A Town Council that reflects us.
Keeping real community voices, especially those of working families and immigrant neighbors, in local decision-making is paramount to me. Herndon is a gem of a place with such a variety of residents that deserve to be represented well by a Town Council that shows up for them. I'd like to start "Café (or chai!) with a Council Member" as a way to bridge the gap of communication for those that can't make evening meetings or read posted minutes regularly.
Supporting local.
Championing the small businesses that give Herndon its character, with streamlined permitting and real support, is part of how I'd like to operate as a default. Healthy communities contain locally operated small businesses, and as our individual resident costs rise, so do theirs, so I'd like to consult our Economic Development experts to figure out the best ways to encourage our small businesses so they thrive.

Safety and Security

People-first public safety.
Safety always comes first, and it includes more than just police cars and speed limits. We have dangerous road crossing zones and byways that deserve a critical lens for improvement. Part of public safety includes being good neighbors, including by connecting each other to social services and community resources.
Security includes protecting personal data from for-profit entities.
Data security is an increasingly relevant issue. The technology we employ as a Town should not compromise the rights of our residents, (example: Flock cameras) and I will work to establish best practices with our residents' data.
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Instagram
@yasminforherndon
Email
yasminforherndon@gmail.com
Mailing Address
Yasmin for Herndon
P.O. Box 140, Herndon, VA 20172

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