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Municipal elections in Virginia Beach, Virginia (2016)
2017 →
← 2014
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| 2016 Virginia Beach elections |
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| Election dates |
| Filing deadline: June 14, 2016 |
| General election: November 8, 2016 |
| Election stats |
| Offices up: Mayor and city council |
| Total seats up: 5 |
| Other municipal elections |
| U.S. municipal elections, 2016 |
A proposed extension of Norfolk's light rail line into Virginia Beach attracted attention from mayoral and city council candidates in 2016. Mayor Will Sessoms and three city council members who faced challengers supported the extension, while every challenger except at-large council candidate Courtney LaLonde opposed the light rail proposal. Learn more about the debate over light rail in Virginia Beach by clicking here.
The mayor's chair and four seats on the Virginia Beach City Council were up for general election on November 8, 2016. The deadline for candidates to file for this election was June 14, 2016. Five of the council's 11 seats were up for election in 2016, with the mayor serving as an at-large member of the council.[1]
Virginia Beach utilizes a council-manager system. In a council-manager government, an elected city council serves as the city's primary legislative body and appoints a chief executive officer called a city manager to oversee day-to-day municipal operations, to draft a budget, and to implement and enforce the council's policy and legislative initiatives. The mayor is a regular voting member of city council with little or no exceptional legal privileges that may distinguish him or her from other council members.
Elections
General election
MayorNote: Although elections in Virginia Beach are nonpartisan, Ballotpedia identified the partisan affiliation of the candidates in this race for informational purposes.
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At-large, City Council
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Centerville District, City Council
Kempsville District, City Council
Rose Hall District, City Council
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You can navigate the following map of electoral districts by zooming in or out with the + and - buttons or using the vertical scrollbar to change pages.
Campaign finance
The Virginia Public Access Project maintains contribution information on Virginia Beach municipal candidates. Candidates for mayor and city council reported $954,028 in contributions as of September 25, 2016. Mayor Will Sessoms reported $672,497 in contributions, representing 70.5 percent of all receipts among municipal candidates. The five incumbents running in 2016 reported $954,028 in contributions, which equaled 95.4 percent of all receipts among municipal candidates.[2]
Mayor
| Candidate | Contributions |
|---|---|
| Mayor of Virginia Beach | |
| Will Sessoms (incumbent) | $672,497.00 |
| George Furman III | $100.00 |
| Richard Kowalewitch | $0.00 |
| Don Weeks | $3,300.00 |
City council
| Candidate | Contributions |
|---|---|
| Virginia Beach City Council, At-large | |
| Rosemary Wilson (incumbent) | $91,938.00 |
| Dane Blythe | $9,945.00 |
| Courtney LaLonde | $6,626.00 |
| Pam Witham | $0.00 |
| Candidate | Contributions |
|---|---|
| Virginia Beach City Council, Centerville | |
| Bob Dyer (incumbent) | $100.00 |
| Candidate | Contributions |
|---|---|
| Virginia Beach City Council, Kempsville | |
| Amelia Ross-Hammond (incumbent) | $63,147.00 |
| Jessica Abbott | $14,517.00 |
| Candidate | Contributions |
|---|---|
| Virginia Beach City Council, Rose Hall | |
| Shannon Kane (incumbent) | $82,714.00 |
| Robert Dean | $9,144.00 |
Additional elections
- See also: Virginia elections, 2016
The November general election ballot included races for U.S. president, U.S. House, and city school board seats.
Virginia Beach voters decided on a nonbinding referendum about a proposed light rail project. The referendum asks: "Should the City Council of Virginia Beach spend local funds to extend Light Rail from Norfolk to Town Center in Virginia Beach?"[3]
Past elections
2014
| Virginia Beach City Council, At-large, 2014 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
 M. Ben Davenport |
32.5% | 47,853 | |
| John D. Moss Incumbent |
32.3% | 47,659 | |
| Brad D. Martin Incumbent | 26.5% | 39,032 | |
| George Furman, III | 8.1% | 11,867 | |
| Write-in | 0.7% | 971 | |
| Total Votes | 147,382 | ||
| Source: City of Virginia Beach, "Election Information & Results," accessed September 26, 2016 | |||
| Virginia Beach City Council, District of Bayside, 2014 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Louis R. Jones Incumbent |
97.7% | 68,256 | |
| Write-in | 2.3% | 1,586 | |
| Total Votes | 69,842 | ||
| Source: City of Virginia Beach, "Election Information & Results," accessed September 26, 2016 | |||
| Virginia Beach City Council, District of Beach, 2014 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| John E. Uhrin Incumbent |
97.6% | 69,462 | |
| Write-in | 2.4% | 1,738 | |
| Total Votes | 71,200 | ||
| Source: City of Virginia Beach, "Election Information & Results," accessed September 26, 2016 | |||
| Virginia Beach City Council, District of Lynnhaven, 2014 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| James L. Wood Incumbent |
98% | 69,560 | |
| Write-in | 2% | 1,396 | |
| Total Votes | 70,956 | ||
| Source: City of Virginia Beach, "Election Information & Results," accessed September 26, 2016 | |||
| Virginia Beach City Council, District of Princess Anne, 2014 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Barbara M. Henley Incumbent |
76.1% | 65,092 | |
| Pieri E. Burton | 23.1% | 19,741 | |
| Write-in | 0.8% | 717 | |
| Total Votes | 85,550 | ||
| Source: City of Virginia Beach, "Election Information & Results," accessed September 26, 2016 | |||
| Virginia Beach City Council, District of Rose Hall, 2014 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Shannon Kane Incumbent |
48.1% | 37,415 | |
| Stephen A. Johnston | 17.4% | 13,559 | |
| Beatrice R. “Petey” Browder | 17.3% | 13,424 | |
| James D. Cabiness II | 16.8% | 13,034 | |
| Write-in | 0.5% | 365 | |
| Total Votes | 77,797 | ||
| Source: City of Virginia Beach, "Election Information & Results," accessed September 26, 2016 | |||
2012
| Virginia Beach City Council, At-large, 2012 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Rosemary Wilson |
65.2% | 105,771 | |
| Kenny Golden | 34.4% | 55,776 | |
| Write-in | 0.4% | 679 | |
| Total Votes | 162,226 | ||
| Source: City of Virginia Beach, "Election Information & Results," accessed September 26, 2016 | |||
| Virginia Beach City Council, Centerville District, 2012 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Bob Dyer |
98.8% | 131,821 | |
| Write-in | 1.2% | 1,567 | |
| Total Votes | 133,388 | ||
| Source: City of Virginia Beach, "Election Information & Results," accessed September 26, 2016 | |||
| Virginia Beach City Council, Kempsville District, 2012 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Amelia Ross-Hammond |
32.1% | 47,112 | |
| Bill Dale | 23.1% | 33,966 | |
| Don Weeks | 22.4% | 32,915 | |
| C.L. Smith Jr. | 22% | 32,380 | |
| Write-in | 0.4% | 560 | |
| Total Votes | 146,933 | ||
| Source: City of Virginia Beach, "Election Information & Results," accessed September 26, 2016 | |||
| Virginia Beach City Council, Rose Hall District, 2012 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Glenn Davis Jr. |
57.3% | 82,783 | |
| David McCormick | 42.2% | 60,996 | |
| Write-in | 0.4% | 643 | |
| Total Votes | 144,422 | ||
| Source: City of Virginia Beach, "Election Information & Results," accessed September 26, 2016 | |||
Polling
| 2016 Virginia Beach Mayoral Election | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Will Sessoms (incumbent) | George Furman III | Richard Kowalewitch | Don Weeks | Undecided | Declined to answer | Other | Margin of error | Sample size | ||||||||||
| The Virginian-Pilot/WVEC/Christopher Newport University (October 1-6, 2016) | 43% | 4% | 5% | 11% | 28% | 8% | 1% | +/-4.5 | 706 | ||||||||||
| Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org. | |||||||||||||||||||
Issues
Virginia Beach's debate over light rail
On November 8, 2016, voters in Virginia Beach decided on a nonbinding referendum dealing with a proposed expansion of neighboring Norfolk's Tide light rail system into the Town Center district. This referendum was placed on the ballot by an anti-light rail group led by City Treasurer John Atkinson called No Light Rail in Virginia Beach. The 2016 referendum asked voters, "Should the City Council of Virginia Beach spend local funds to extend Light Rail from Norfolk to Town Center in Virginia Beach?"[3] The referendum was defeated with 57 percent of the vote. Voters approved a 2012 nonbinding referendum that asked, "Should the City Council adopt an ordinance approving the use of all reasonable efforts to support the financing and development of The Tide light rail into Virginia Beach?"[4]
The Virginia Beach City Council had not given final approval to the $310 million project but voted 9-2 to approve a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the project in April 2016 that secured $155 million in state funding.[5] This MoU followed a May 2015 city council resolution supporting a 3.2-mile extension of the line into Virginia Beach with three new stations, two park-and-ride lots, and a doubling of the city's bus routes.[6] Bob Dyer and John D. Moss were the dissenting votes for both resolutions.[7] In September 2016, the city auditor reported that the city spent $16.3 million through June 2016 on land acquisitions, analyses, and consultant fees.[8]
The Tide light rail began operation in 2011 as a 7.4-mile route running from Norfolk's medical center to the Newton Road stop on the city's border with Virginia Beach. The line featured 11 stops including the Norfolk Civic Plaza and Norfolk State University. The City of Virginia Beach's page on the light rail extension offered the following explanation of why residents should support the project:
| “ |
Extending The Tide from Norfolk into Virginia Beach is part of improving our overall transportation network — a network that includes roadways, walking and biking paths and a bus system. Eventually, the goal is to create a transit system that traverses the Southside of Hampton Roads. The city's Envison2040 plan anticipates what we want our city to look like in the future and outlines a strategy to guide investment in our transportation infrastructure, not only for the sake of the environment, but also to curb future congestion, keep our economy moving, promote smart growth and ultimately improve our quality of life. Light rail will create new, connected neighborhoods of apartments, condos, shops, offices and restaurants. Virginia Beach will still be largely suburban — but it will add urban neighbrhoods for people who want the option, too. [9] |
” |
| —City of Virginia Beach (2016), [10] | ||
Atkinson, who was first elected as city treasurer in 1978, began No Light Rail in Virginia Beach in 2015 to place a referendum on the ballot regarding local funds for the project.[11] The group's website argued that the project's overall cost was unknown and could be excessive even with the commitment of state funds. No Light Rail also suggested that the project would not ease traffic congestion and would increase taxes for city residents. The group also argued that declining ridership from 2013 to 2016 reduced the value of the project.[12] In May 2016, Atkinson's petition drive exceeded the 16,409 signatures necessary for a referendum to reach the ballot.[3]
Election impact
On September 8, 2016, the Thalia Civic League hosted a candidate forum that showed contrasts in campaign themes for incumbents and challengers. City council incumbents did not focus on the light rail project, turning their attention to recent improvements in the city's crime rate and schools. Mayor Will Sessoms did not attend the forum, but supported the project during his February 2016 State of the City address.[13] Council members Rosemary Wilson, Amelia Ross-Hammond, and Shannon Kane supported light rail in past votes and each faced at least one challenger. Every challenger except at-large candidate Courtney LaLonde expressed opposition to the light rail project during the forum.[14]
About the city
- See also: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is considered a county equivalent. As of 2010, its population was 437,994.
City government
- See also: Council-manager government
The city of Virginia Beach 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 an executive called a city manager to oversee day-to-day municipal operations and implement the council's policy and legislative initiatives.[15][16]
Demographics
The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.
| Demographic Data for Virginia Beach, Virginia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | Virginia | |
| Population | 437,994 | 8,001,024 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 244 | 39,481 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 66.3% | 67.6% |
| Black/African American | 19% | 19.2% |
| Asian | 6.7% | 6.4% |
| Native American | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Pacific Islander | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Other (single race) | 2.1% | 2.6% |
| Multiple | 5.6% | 3.8% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 8.2% | 9.4% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 93.5% | 89.7% |
| College graduation rate | 36% | 38.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $76,610 | $74,222 |
| Persons below poverty level | 7.3% | 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 Virginia Beach Virginia election. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
| Virginia Beach, Virginia | Virginia | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ The Virginian-Pilot, "Find out who's running for Virginia Beach mayor and City Council," June 14, 2016
- ↑ Virginia Public Access Project, "Virginia Beach City," accessed September 26, 2016
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 The Virginian-Pilot, "Light rail will be on November ballot in Virginia Beach," May 13, 2016
- ↑ The Virginian-Pilot, "Light rail passes easily in Virginia Beach," November 7, 2012
- ↑ ABC13, "Va. Beach City Council approves memo of understanding on light rail," April 5, 2016
- ↑ City of Virginia Beach, "Where Are We Now?" accessed September 27, 2016
- ↑ City of Virginia Beach, "City Council Minutes," accessed September 27, 2016
- ↑ The Virginian-Pilot, "City Council hasn't approved the project, but Virginia Beach has already spent millions on light rail," September 13, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ City of Virginia Beach, "Light Rail," accessed September 27, 2016
- ↑ No Light Rail in Virginia Beach, "About Us," accessed September 27, 2016
- ↑ No Light Rail in Virginia Beach, "Home," accessed September 27, 2016
- ↑ WTKR, "Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms addresses community in annual State of the City address," February 11, 2016
- ↑ The Virginian-Pilot, "Virginia Beach council, mayoral candidate forum focuses mostly on light rail," September 8, 2016
- ↑ City of Virginia Beach, "City Council," accessed August 11, 2014
- ↑ City of Virginia Beach, "Form of Government," accessed October 30, 2014
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