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Municipal elections in Norfolk, Virginia (2016)
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2017 →
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| 2016 Norfolk elections |
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| Election dates |
| Filing deadline: N/A |
| General election: May 3, 2016 |
| Election stats |
| Offices up: Mayor and city council |
| Total seats up: 3 |
| Other municipal elections |
| U.S. municipal elections, 2016 |
The person elected to be mayor of Norfolk, Virginia, was guaranteed to be someone with experience as an elected officeholder, even without incumbent Paul Fraim seeking to extend his 22-year tenure in the general election on May 3, 2016. Endorsed by Fraim, State Sen. Kenny Alexander (D-5) defeated Norfolk Sheriff Robert McCabe and City Councilman Andrew Protogyrou.
City Council Super Wards 6 and 7 incumbents Barclay Winn and Angelia Williams Graves sought re-election. Andria McClellan defeated Winn and Warren Stewart in Super Ward 6. Harry Candela, George "Billy" Cook Jr., and Kendrick Turner were defeated by Graves in Super Ward 7.
While one super ward was taken by a newcomer, another spot on the city council was guaranteed at least one new member in 2016. Due to a requirement in the city's charter regarding council elections, Protogyrou's bid for mayor automatically resigned him from the council effective June 30, 2016.
Funding for public education and city police rose to the forefront of the issues in the mayoral race. Concerns over government accountability also hung over the election cycle, as former councilman and then-City Treasurer Anthony Burfoot faced a recall petition.
Elections
General election
Candidate list
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Mayor of Norfolk |
Super Ward 6
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Super Ward 7 |
Campaign finance
The totals in the tables below reflect the amounts that were required to be reported by April 21, 2016, as available through the Virginia Department of Elections's website. Reports were not available for Super Ward 7 candidates Harry Candela and Kendrick Turner. Click [show] in the bars below to display each candidate's total beginning campaign balance, contributions, expenditures, outstanding loans and personal expenditures, and overall campaign balance.[1]
| Mayoral (April 21, 2016) | |||||
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| Candidate | Balance from prior campaigns |
Contributions | Expenditures | Outstanding loans |
Balance |
| Kenny Alexander | $0.00 | $223,432.70 | $218,568.39 | $35,000.00 | $4,864.31 |
| Robert McCabe | $0.00 | $145,825.48 | $109,974.60 | $0.00 | $35,850.88 |
| Andrew Protogyrou | $0.00 | $256,831.35 | $230,621.25 | $25,000.00 | $26,210.10 |
| Super Ward 6 (April 21, 2016) | |||||
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| Candidate | Balance from prior campaigns |
Contributions | Expenditures | Outstanding loans |
Balance |
| Barclay Winn (i) | $0.00 | $334,131.33 | $300,864.81 | $0.00 | $33,266.52 |
| Andria McClellan | $0.00 | $158,674.29 | $114,206.76 | $10,000.00 | $44,467.53 |
| Warren Stewart | $0.00 | $7,005.00 | $4,420.76 | $3,500.00 | $2,584.24 |
| Super Ward 7 (April 21, 2016) | |||||
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| Candidate | Balance from prior campaigns |
Contributions | Expenditures | Outstanding loans |
Balance |
| Angelia Williams Graves (i) | $12,020.31 | $50,950.00 | $47,208.15 | $0.00 | $15,762.16 |
| Harry Candela | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| George "Billy" Cook Jr. | $0.00 | $2,025.00 | $1,571.46 | $0.00 | $453.54 |
| Kendrick Turner | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Reporting requirements and schedule
Candidates for local offices in Norfolk could file their reports electronically with the Virginia Department of Elections or on paper with the city's electoral board. There were five campaign finance reporting deadlines for candidates in the Norfolk municipal elections:[2]
- April 15, 2016, for activities from January 1, 2016, to March 31, 2016
- April 25, 2016, for activities from April 1, 2016, to April 21, 2016
- June 15, 2016, for activities from April 22, 2016, to June 10, 2016
- July 15, 2016, for activities from June 11, 2016, to June 30, 2016
- January 17, 2017, for activities from July 1, 2016, to December 31, 2016
During the 11 days preceding the election, any opposed candidate who received a direct contribution, in-kind contribution, or a loan of $500 or more had to report the transaction no later than 5 p.m. the following day. Saturday contributions could be reported on the following Monday. Such contributions made the day before the election had to be reported on the same day. These reports for "large pre-election contributions" had to be submitted in writing to the city's election office.[2]
The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may not represent all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer, and campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Endorsements
The list of endorsements were based on available information from candidate campaigns and media reports. Report additional endorsements by emailing Ballotpedia.
Mayoral race
Endorsements by other elected officials and outside groups became a talking point in the mayoral contest. While Mayor Fraim's spokesperson stated he would not be endorsing a candidate to replace him, a billboard from Alexander's campaign included an image of Fraim. The mayor, however, reversed his position on April 28, 2016, officially endorsing Alexander.[3]
Each of the three candidates drew endorsements reflecting his existing position as an elected official. Kenny Alexander was endorsed by state and federal elected officials, Andrew Protogyrou by three of his fellow council members, and Robert McCabe by the local police union.[4][5][6][7][8]
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State Sen. Kenny Alexander (D-5)
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Norfolk Sheriff Robert McCabe
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Super Ward 6 race
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Barclay Winn (i)
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Super Ward 7 race
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Issues
Billboard raises questions about endorsement from Fraim
| WAVY TV 10, "Billboard for Norfolk mayoral candidate causes stir," April 19, 2016 |
A billboard paid for by Kenny Alexander's campaign featured Mayor Paul Fraim. The billboard displayed the picture of Fraim next to the statement, "All my life I've only wanted what's best for Norfolk" and Alexander's campaign logo. At the time, Fraim had not officially endorsed a candidate. City Spokesperson Lori Crouch said, "The mayor has made no plans at this time to endorse anyone," on April 19, 2016. According to 10 on Your Side, Couch clarified when asked what "at this time" meant, saying more definitively, "The mayor has no plans to endorse anyone."[9]
Alexander responded to press inquires about the sign saying, "It was Mayor Fraim’s idea and he approved the look and the message." His opponents both responded to the sign. Robert McCabe stated, "It certainly looks like an endorsement to me. It’s not a secret that all of Mayor Fraim’s political apparatus is supporting Kenny, from campaign staff to donors, he’s the chosen one. I don’t think it’s any secret." Meanwhile, Andrew Protogyrou stated, "Paul said I can use his image for whatever I need, and I said thanks I appreciate it...and then someone handed me a cellphone with the picture of the billboard, and I said no wonder he said I could do that." Protogyrou's campaign manager, David Cary, called the sign misleading, arguing that it implied an endorsement.[9]
On April 28, 2016, Fraim reversed his stance on not giving an endorsement. He officially endorsed Alexander on that day, saying, "Kenny has the qualifications and the experience to lead all of us forward together in the coming years and to continue the progress that the city has recently made." Both of Alexander's opponents responded with public statements:[3]
McCabe's statement
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Protogyrou's statement
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Education funding and reputation a concern in mayoral and super ward races
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The intersection of power between the city council and school board was a key issue in the 2016 elections—especially because the city transitioned back to an elected school board after over 60 years of having the board appointed by the city council. Disputes over the election style drew candidates into 2016's races, and the city's education reputation was a talking point as well. Click here to learn more about Norfolk's return to an elected school board, the debate around the election style, the relationship between city council and school board power, and more. |
Mayoral candidates disagree on crime but agree on body cameras
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Multiple shootings over the first weekend in March 2016 made crime a key talking point for one mayoral candidate, who was consequently criticized by his competitors. Sheriff Robert McCabe argued that citizens were unsafe due to a lack of officers in the city. Councilman Andrew Protogyrou accused the sheriff of "playing politics over tragedy." The two candidates presented disparate explanations for vacancies on the city's police force. McCabe stated that the city had left the positions vacant to save money, but Protogyrou disagreed, saying, "There are no unfunded or left open positions to make budget. The city has never done it with regards to its police funding."[11] McCabe argued later in the campaign that, "Between military leave, desk duty, admin leave and vacancies, the police department has 75 positions to 100 that should be on the street that aren’t."[12] |
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Fellow mayoral candidate state Sen. Kenny Alexander also accused McCabe of politicizing the shootings, saying that any requests for changes to police resources "should come from the current police chief and the city manager, not from someone be it myself or anyone else who is using a misfortunate [sic] situation such as the loss of life to call or single out at this particular time."[11] At a candidate forum later in March, the three candidates agree on instituting body cameras for police officers.[13]
McCabe's campaign made the statement on the left following the weekend shootings. The city responded with the statement on the right:
Statement by McCabe's campaign
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Statement by Lori Crouch, Norfolk Public Relations
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Mayoral bid ends Protogyrou's council term two years early
Due to a restriction in the Norfolk City Charter, Councilman Andrew Protogyrou needed to resign from the city council effective June 30, 2016, regardless of the outcome of his bid for mayor.[14] His resignation was automatic due to the city's charter, which states:
| “ | No candidate may seek election for more than one seat in an election. A sitting member of council who files his or her candidacy for mayor or for election to a council seat other than reelection to his or her own seat and so appears on the ballot shall be deemed to have resigned his or her seat effective June 30 of the year in which the election is held whether or not he or she is elected to the new seat sought.[10] | ” |
| —Norfolk City Charter, §19. Notice of Candidacy and Petition (2005)[15] | ||
He stated that he knew the provision would remove him from the council when he decided to run for mayor. Protogyrou said he would not support or oppose changing the city's charter on this matter. He did, however, make clear his opposition to the provisions, saying, “I don’t think the rule is fair," to The Virginian-Pilot when asked to comment upon it as a resident.[14]
Outgoing Mayor Paul Fraim and city council members Paul R. Riddick, Tommy R. Smigiel Jr., and Theresa W. Whibley all voiced support for changing the city's charter during a January 2016 meeting. Smigiel, who endorsed Protogyrou, criticized the measure, as it did not apply to other elected officials. Two other mayoral candidates—state Sen. Kenny Alexander (D-5) and Norfolk Sheriff Robert McCabe—also held elected offices but did not face similar resignation requirements. Any change to the city's charter would have required approval from the state legislature.[14]
Fraim's support for the change, meanwhile, was a shift of position for the mayor. Following the 2000 and 2002 municipal elections, he expressed support for the election limit. The Virginian-Pilot described how those elections led to the policy's implementation: "Norfolk didn’t have the rule until after the 2000 campaign, in which Herbert Collins tried to unseat council member Daun Hester, who represented a larger superward. Hester beat Collins, and in 2002 she supported Anthony Burfoot’s successful bid to unseat Collins – a move widely seen as revenge." Fraim, who was mayor at the time, supported the restriction in 2003.[14]
Protogyrou was not the first council member to be affected by the restriction. Hester's unsuccessful 2010 mayoral campaign forced her to end her council tenure early.[14]
Protogyrou's term was set to expire in 2018. Following his automatic resignation, the city council had to appoint a replacement within 30 days. The appointment ran until the 2018 general election. If the remainder of Protogyrou's term had been longer than two years, a special election would have been required.[15]
Recall effort against former Councilman Burfoot
A petition for a recall trial against City Treasurer Anthony Burfoot was approved for circulation on February 3, 2016. The recall effort against Burfoot was initiated following his indictment for accepting approximately $500,000 in bribes during his time on the Norfolk City Council. Burfoot pleaded not guilty to the charges in federal court. The certified recall petition suggested that Burfoot's legal issues and court-mandated limitations on communications with city officials made him unable to carry out his duties.[16]
Recall supporters needed at least 4,352 signatures from voters in the city to force a recall trial—10 percent of the total vote from the last treasurer's election. They submitted approximately 5,000 signatures on March 31, 2016. The recall effort ended when Burfoot was removed from office on April 24, 2017, after his sentencing in a federal corruption trial.[17]
About the city
- See also: Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, its population was 242,803.
City government
- See also: Council-manager government
The city of Norfolk uses a council-manager system. In this form of municipal government, an elected city council—which includes the mayor and serves as the city's primary legislative body—appoints a chief executive called a city manager to oversee day-to-day municipal operations and implement the council's policy and legislative initiatives.[18]
Demographics
The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.
| Demographic Data for Norfolk, Virginia | ||
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| Norfolk | Virginia | |
| Population | 242,803 | 8,001,024 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 53 | 39,481 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 47% | 67.6% |
| Black/African American | 41.1% | 19.2% |
| Asian | 3.7% | 6.4% |
| Native American | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Other (single race) | 3% | 2.6% |
| Multiple | 4.7% | 3.8% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 8% | 9.4% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 88% | 89.7% |
| College graduation rate | 28.8% | 38.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $51,590 | $74,222 |
| Persons below poverty level | 18.7% | 10.6% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2010). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2014-2019). | ||
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Norfolk Virginia election. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| Norfolk, Virginia | Virginia | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Virginia Department of Elections, "Campaign Finance Reports," accessed April 18, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Virginia Department of Elections, "2016 Candidate Reporting Deadlines," January 6, 2016
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 13NEWSNOW.com, "Mayor Paul Fraim endorses Sen. Kenny Alexander for Norfolk mayor," April 28, 2016
- ↑ 13NEWSNOW.com, "Kenny Alexander racking up big-name endorsements," April 8, 2016
- ↑ WAVY-TV, "Congressman Scott endorses Alexander for Norfolk mayor," April 11, 2016
- ↑ The Virginian-Pilot, "Norfolk mayoral candidates count up endorsements as election nears," April 13, 2016
- ↑ The Virginian-Pilot, "Virginian-Pilot editorial: In Norfolk's superwards," April 18, 2016
- ↑ The Virginian-Pilot, "Editorial: For Norfolk mayor: Alexander," April 17, 2016
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 WAVY.com, "Billboard for Norfolk mayoral candidate causes stir," April 19, 2016
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 WAVY.com, "Norfolk mayoral candidates differ on how to address crime," March 7, 2016
- ↑ WAVY.com, "Norfolk mayoral candidates comment on recent crime," April 21, 2016
- ↑ WAVY.com, "Norfolk mayoral candidates discuss plans for improving city," March 14, 2016
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 The Virginian-Pilot, "Norfolk mayoral bid could force Andy Protogyrou from city council," January 30, 2016
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Norfolk, Virginia, "City Charter," July 1, 2013
- ↑ The Virginian-Pilot, "Anthony Burfoot recall organizers filed corrected petition," February 3, 2016
- ↑ The Virginian-Pilot, "Norfolk Treasurer Anthony Burfoot permanently removed from office," April 24, 2017
- ↑ City of Norfolk, "City Council," accessed October 28, 2014
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