Lobbyists and lawmakers are rolling out the green carpet for the all-but-certain successor to Richmond Mayor Dwight Clinton Jones in the House of Delegates.

Legislation still can perish at the hands of few state lawmakers in the early morning, but it looks like it’ll soon be on the record. Speaker William J. Howell has directed the clerk of the House of Delegates to start recording votes taken in House subcommittees.

A movement toward greater openness and transparency in government spending is sweeping the country. Everything from voting records, to campaign finance disclosures, to government spending and contracting information is moving onto the Internet.

Delores L. McQuinn is the one and only. The Richmond City Councilwoman is the lone candidate to qualify for the ballot for the 70th District House of Delegates seat, according to the State Board of Elections. A special election is being held Jan. 6 to replace Del. Dwight Clinton Jones, who takes over as Richmond mayor on Jan. 1. The 70th district includes part of Richmond and parts of Henrico and Chesterfield counties.

Legislative panels that can be killing fields for controversial legislation on unrecorded votes could soon operate in more daylight. The conservative group Americans for Prosperity is urging leaders of the Republican-controlled House of Delegates to record subcommittee votes for the sake of transparency. “Open government is good no matter what party you’re in,“ said Ben Marchi, the group’s state director, who has a petition signed by 300 Republicans urging the change.

McQuinn Brown Richmond City Councilwoman Delores L. McQuinn will be the Democratic nominee in the special election to fill the legislative seat of Del. Dwight Clinton Jones, who takes over as mayor of Richmond Jan. 1.

Carlos Brown, a corporate finance lawyer from Henrico County, will battle Richmond City Councilwoman Delores L. McQuinn for the Democratic nomination in the 70th House of Delegates District.