Chris Marston knows he’s running for clerk of the Circuit Court against a popular and respected incumbent.

He also knows voters in Alexandria haven’t had much of a choice in the last three decades when it comes to the office.

In fact, many Alexandrians haven’t known a clerk other than Ed Semonian. The 77-year-old Alexandria native hasn’t had an opponent since winning the 1979 election until this year. Marston put his name in at the deadline.

The election is Tuesday and it's probably the most heated race on the ballot in Alexandria.

“Ed has a good reputation,” Marston said one recent October afternoon at Tropical Smoothie Cafe near Slaters Lane. “He has the Democratic nomination in Alexandria and that takes you a long way. I hope that in getting out there and talking to as many people as I can, I can persuade folks that I offer a compelling vision and good alternative.”

Marston is a 37-year-old principal in a firm that does compliance work for political campaigns. He is active with the Alexandria Republicans and has worked in the Virginia House Republican Caucus. He was an assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Education during President George W. Bush's administration.

Like his opponent, Marston doesn’t see this as a political race. Instead, he sees it more along the lines of how best to modernize the clerk’s office.

He said he wants to create a “more customer friendly” court with an emphasis on online and telephone operations so customers don’t have to wait in line to deal with things like real estate documents and other court-related services.

He also wants to create a 24/7 website where citizens can file lawsuits and accomplish document tasks at their leisure. He believes this will make the court more efficient.

"Today, a lot of people are dissatisfied with government,” Marston said. "I want to operate the court in a way that is most convenient to citizens. ... I have a vision to get something done and the experience to do it."

After graduating from Dartmouth College in 1996, Marston moved to Northern Virginia to work on Capitol Hill.

“That first year was in Arlington,” he sheepishly admits.

He has lived in Alexandria since and currently makes his home in the Taylor Run neighborhood of the city.

He’s a dog lover and even has a “Canines for Chris” section on his campaign website. He also tweets about helping out with local Cub Scout Pack 801.

Originally from Michigan, Marston graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 2003 and is a member of the Virginia State Bar.

He has also served the Library of Virginia in a variety of roles over the years. He is currently its board secretary.

Marston believes his work with the Commonwealth’s archive and records agency in historical preservation will serve him well in the Circuit Court, as Alexandria’s city records date back to 1784.

He has never run for office before, but Marston says he has always enjoyed public service and finds it more fulfilling than working in the private sector.

He also believes it's important that voters have a choice.

“They haven’t for at least 32 years,” he said.