Jessica Abbott

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Jessica Abbott

Prior offices

Virginia Beach City Council District Kempsville

Successor: Rocky Holcomb

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Education

High school

Floyd E. Kellam High School

Bachelor's

The American College of Financial Services, 2015

Personal

Birthplace

Colorado Springs, Colo.

Religion

Catholic

Profession

Insurance sales manager

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Twitter

Personal website

Jessica Abbott was a member of the Virginia Beach City Council, representing Kempsville District. She served from 2017 to 2021. On June 2, 2021, Abbot announced she would be stepping down from her city council position, citing health reasons.

Abbott first assumed office after being elected in 2016, and was re-elected on November 3, 2020.

Biography

Abbott was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Abbott is a graduate of Floyd E. Kellam High School. She earned an undergraduate degree from the American College of Financial Services in January 2015. Her professional experience includes working in woodworking and as a sales manager and insurance agent at Matt Abbott State Farm. Abbott founded Bad Brass Women, an organization that teaches self-defense techniques to women, in 2013.

Elections

2020

See also: City elections in Virginia Beach, Virginia (2020)

General election

General election for Virginia Beach City Council District Kempsville

Incumbent Jessica Abbott defeated Bill Dale in the general election for Virginia Beach City Council District Kempsville on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jessica Abbott (Nonpartisan)	62.3	120,136
		Bill Dale (Nonpartisan)	37.4	72,238
		Other/Write-in votes	0.3	611

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 192,985
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Michael Anderson (Nonpartisan)

2016

The city of Virginia Beach, Virginia, held elections for mayor and four city council seats on November 8, 2016. Candidates interested in seeking these offices had to file with the city's voter registrar by June 14, 2016. Jessica Abbott defeated incumbent Amelia Ross-Hammond in the Virginia Beach City Council nonpartisan general election for the Kempsville District seat.

Virginia Beach City Council, Kempsville District General Election, 2016
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Jessica Abbott	58.90%	93,621
Amelia Ross-Hammond Incumbent	40.48%	64,338
Write-in votes	0.63%	998
Total Votes		158,957
Source: City of Virginia Beach, "Election Information & Results," accessed November 29, 2016

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Jessica Abbott completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Abbott's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Jessica Abbott is a small business owner and has been managing her family's insurance business since 2008. Having been born to two Air Force veterans in Colorado Springs, CO, she has lived in Virginia Beach since 2001. She graduated from Kellam High School in 2007 and graduated from the American College of Financial Services in 2015 with LUTCF and FSCP designations, and is a FEMA-certified flood insurance agent. Jessica currently serves as the City Council liaison to the Historic Kempsville Citizens Action Committee, the Community Services Board, the Elizabeth River - Eastern Branch Project, the Arts & Humanities Commission, and the Public Library Board.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Being a FEMA-certified flood insurance agent, I have firsthand knowledge of recurrent flooding. I have prioritized modernizing stormwater infrastructure for our vulnerable coastal City since Day One as your representative. I am committed to accelerating funding for long-term flooding mitigation projects and drainage maintenance. I am dedicated to preserving open space and natural areas, and have sponsored ordinances and secured funding that limits pollution and protect wetlands.
• Virginia Beach must cultivate long-term business growth. We must attract high-paying jobs and maintain a low cost of living and a level economic playing field, and address the disparity in City contracts. When faced with unnecessary tax or fee increases, I co-sponsored alternate City budgets that responsibly funded priorities that reflect the economic realities of families.
• As the wife of a teacher and mother of two, I understand the importance of having excellent schools and safe neighborhoods. I voted to fund a long-term solution to pay compression for First Responders. The work that our First Responders do keeps Virginia Beach as one of the safest large cities in the US. I have also co-sponsored budgets that increased pay for School and City employees, reduced class sizes and expanded full-day kindergarten. We are privileged to have such outstanding people who comprise the fabric of our community and provide quality services such as our First Responders and fully-accredited schools.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about expanding opportunities for small businesses, leveling the economic playing field for SWaM businesses, reaching underserved populations in our city, and mental health reform.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

The phrase "Think Globally, Act Locally" rings true. While millions of voters gravitate to national politics, the closest level of government is in your own backyard. City councils are arguably the most impactful level of government that affects your day-to-day life. It can be very responsive to the needs of constituents. Like other local governments, the Virginia Beach City Council makes important decisions on funding our schools, public safety, flooding mitigation, economic development, and transportation. I cannot understate the importance of citizens being actively involved in their local government.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I grew up watching Star Trek, so the person I look up to the most would be Kate Mulgrew, who played Captain Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager. Her character broke barriers for women everywhere. She overcame tragedy early in her life to succeed in a male-dominated industry as not only the first female Starfleet captain on Star Trek, but as was the first female captain as a series regular in a leading role on TV. Her character is well-known for not giving up easily and maintaining positive morale for her crew. Plus, she's a Virginia Beach local.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

The most prominent quality that I believe makes me a successful officeholder is that I genuinely listen to the people of Virginia Beach. I conducted the first-ever "Midterm Report Card" halfway through my first term by asking for direct input from residents about my job performance and then published the results. I facilitated several town halls and attended civic league meetings across the city, and I pioneered a brand new series of town halls located at local parks called "A Talk in the Park".

I am also transparent and accessible. Explaining significant votes on social media has been a great way to collect the insight of my constituents in guiding my decisions on City Council. I have conducted various surveys asking for direct opinions about crucial issues facing Virginia Beach. Before each City Council Retreat, I ask for my constituents' top priorities, which allows me to navigate our discussions effectively. When there are openings for Board or Commission positions, I have shared the Talent Bank applications on social media.

Lastly, the future of our city needs a voice that we can all count on. At the age of 27, I was not only the first Millennial elected in Virginia Beach, but I was also the youngest person ever elected in our city. I represent a generation that was affected by the decisions made by our government but never before had any representation. I believe that I am very inclusive; we live in a very diverse community, and every voice must be heard. We also have several challenges facing the longevity of our city, and we need someone at the table who will be future-oriented.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The City Council of Virginia Beach oversees a $2 billion budget and serves the largest city population in Virginia. Being a Councilmember requires great responsibility, fiduciary management and attention to detail. Overall, the core responsibility for anyone elected to this office would be trustworthiness. We have the privilege to represent the people of Virginia Beach, and they are our boss - the people absolutely must trust us to make sensible decisions for our community. I have strived to be transparent and accessible and to listen to my constituents' insight on issues facing our city.

Another core responsibility for any elected Councilmember is to be future-oriented and objective to decision-making. We need to understand that all decisions we make on City Council may have lasting implications. Being a Millennial, I represent a generation that was affected by the decisions made by our government but never before had any representation. We must always be thinking ahead about how decisions can support our community in positive ways.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

"Take Back the Power" by The Interrupters.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

The Virginia Beach City Council appoints several regional boards and commissions that provide key services, like transit or housing.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

I believe that it can be beneficial for Councilmembers to have experience, but newcomers can also be refreshing depending on how they change the Council's dynamic. For example, I am in my first term on City Council and I am serving with colleagues who have been on Council since before I was even born. My first term has offered a tremendous learning experience, and I believe there is still room for personal growth.

However, especially with me being a Millennial, I have a unique perspective on what we need to be doing as a body. I'm open to doing things differently. Before I won my first race in 2016, I came to City Council directly from the private sector and I was able to offer a new set of eyes on things. I think that any successful organization needs to have new blood from time to time.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

A skill that would be most helpful for any Councilmember to possess would be an understanding of what life is like for the average person in Virginia Beach. Before I won my first race in 2016, I came to City Council directly from the private sector and I was able to offer a new set of eyes on things. I was a "Constituent Turned Councilmember", and I still identify with that a lot, even as I am finishing my first term. I have co-sponsored alternative budgets that I believe better reflect the economic realities of Virginia Beach families - prioritizing needs over wants, like any family's household budget - and I think that anyone who claims to be a representative must truly understand what life is like for the average citizen.

Another expertise that is valuable to being on City Council would be having financial acumen. I graduated from the American College of Financial Services in 2015 with LUTCF and FSCP designations. We as Councilmembers are entrusted with the fiduciary duty of protecting taxpayer dollars and responsibility managing debt. We need to not only be able to understand the entire City budget but understand how changes impact the lives of our constituents.

The other expertise that I bring to the table is I am a FEMA-certified flood insurance agent, so I have firsthand knowledge of recurrent flooding. Virginia Beach is a vulnerable coastal city, and we are facing some serious budgetary appropriations to better prepare for long-term resilience. I have co-sponsored alternative city budgets that accelerate funding for stormwater projects without unnecessary tax or fee increases. I have also dedicated revenue from certain projects to fund flooding mitigation projects, secured funding for permanently conserved wetlands and forests on the Elizabeth River and pushed for Green Infrastructure to complement the City's efforts to mitigate stormwater flooding.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2016

“	I am running because… City Council needs a fresh perspective on the role of government; one that is more transparent, accessible and relatable. I will justify every vote on social media. It’s important to have a member on City Council with a background in finance, insurance and flooding who can lead the way on maintaining our financial stability, crafting budgets and understanding our unique coastal flooding situation. I have LUTCF and FSCP financial designations and I’m a FEMA/NFIP certified flood agent. As a new mother, I have concerns about the direction of the city and what it means for my family’s future; I am offering a voice for better solutions. As a young professional, I am striving to help create a community for a lifetime that will allow those who work hard to prosper and be able to continue living and working in Virginia Beach. I’ve spent my entire adult life advocating for consistent, fiscally-responsible principles on all levels of government, and I will continue to do so as your councilwoman. Together, let’s work towards building a City Council that works for you.	”
—Jessica Abbott (2016),

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Candidate

Virginia Beach City Council District Kempsville

Website

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Personal

Website

Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Amelia Ross-Hammond	Virginia Beach City Council, Kempsville District 2017–2021	Succeeded by NA