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Incumbent Norfolk Sheriff Joe Baron (D) is seeking a second term in office since his election in 2017. His focus as sheriff is employee morale, inmate care, and improving community outreach. He cooperated with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to lock up hundreds of undocumented immigrants in the city’s jail. He also pulled all of Norfolk’s incarcerated population out of Hampton Roads Regional Jail due to inhumane conditions at the facility.

Baron is facing a challenge from independent candidate Neil Bradley. Bradley does not support keeping communities safe by passing common-sense measures aimed at preventing gun violence. Bradley supports undermining our fair and free elections by creating barriers to prevent voting access. He also opposes holding police accountable for abusing their power.

We have no recommendation for this race. However, we still encourage you to show up to vote on November 2 by writing in the candidate of your choice for this race and the other races on your ballot.

No Recommendations - Norfolk - Sheriff

Incumbent Norfolk Sheriff Joe Baron (D) is seeking a second term in office since his election in 2017. His focus as sheriff is employee morale, inmate care, and improving community outreach.
  • Democratic candidate for governor, Terry McAuliffe, was the 72nd Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia from 2014 to 2018. McAuliffe was unable to seek reelection in 2017 due to a state law that bars sitting governors from serving consecutive terms. McAuliffe attended The Catholic University of America and Georgetown University Law Center. A lifelong businessman and entrepreneur, McAuliffe has lived in Fairfax County for more than 20 years with his wife, Dorothy. The couple has raised five children together.

    McAuliffe is centering his campaign on building a strong Virginia economy that works for everyone. He plans to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024, two years ahead of the current schedule. He wants to require employers to provide paid sick days along with paid family and medical leave to all workers. Because Virginia is the 10th most expensive state for childcare in the country, McAuliffe wants to assist families burdened with childcare costs by providing subsidies, funneling federal money to families, and making it easier for people to qualify for assistance.

    McAuliffe plans to invest $2 billion in Virginia’s education system every year so that teachers are paid above the national average, children have access to universal pre-K, and every student can get online. To make college more affordable to students, McAuliffe will offer more financial aid and expand on current Governor Ralph Northam’s program that makes community college free to low- and middle-income students studying in certain fields. McAuliffe also wants to boost enrollment at Historically Black Colleges and Universities by providing free tuition to students who promise to teach for five years in the state’s high-need areas.

    While serving as Governor of Virginia, McAuliffe took action to reduce carbon emissions in the state and received a $120.5 million federal grant to combat the rising sea level on Virginia’s coast. He wants Virginia to reach 100% clean energy by 2035 and make access to clean energy and transportation infrastructure more affordable by providing subsidies for solar usage and public transit construction. McAuliffe also plans to address the racial impacts of climate change by providing funding to communities hit by extreme heat and rising sea levels.

    McAuliffe pushed for Medicaid expansion during his first term and wants to increase access to affordable healthcare by supporting Virginia’s plan to create a state-run health insurance marketplace. He backs lowering prescription drug costs, reducing health insurance premiums, and creating a Medicaid buy-in option for people who make too much to qualify for the program but still can’t afford out-of-pocket costs on the marketplace. When he was governor, McAuliffe vetoed Republican legislation that would have limited abortion access. If reelected, McAuliffe plans to incorporate Roe v. Wade into Virginia’s constitution to guarantee that abortion access is protected.

    McAuliffe is running against multimillionaire Republican Glenn Youngkin, the former president of Carlyle Group, one of the world’s largest private equity firms. Youngkin wants to channel the state’s money from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to fund private schools. Youngkin has admitted that he opposes abortion access and will work to dismantle protections for reproductive freedom in the Commonwealth. Youngkin is also against making health coverage more affordable in Virginia.

    McAuliffe is also facing a challenge from activist and educator Princess Blanding, an Independent candidate. Blanding is the sister of Marcus David-Peters, a young Black man who was killed by police in 2018. Blanding wants to hold police accountable by ending qualified immunity and shifting funding away from police departments to invest in community services. She also wants to make health coverage more affordable by creating a public healthcare system.

    Due to his record in providing leadership for the Commonwealth and his support of Virginia working families, the environment, affordable health coverage, and reproductive rights, Terry McAuliffe is the most progressive choice in this race.

    Last updated: 2023-04-05

    Terry McAuliffe

    Democratic candidate for governor, Terry McAuliffe, was the 72nd Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia from 2014 to 2018. McAuliffe was unable to seek reelection in 2017 due to a state law that bars sitting governors from serving consecutive terms.

    Democratic candidate for governor, Terry McAuliffe, was the 72nd Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia from 2014 to 2018. McAuliffe was unable to seek reelection in 2017 due to a state law that bars sitting governors from serving consecutive terms. McAuliffe attended The Catholic University of America and Georgetown University Law Center. A lifelong businessman and entrepreneur, McAuliffe has lived in Fairfax County for more than 20 years with his wife, Dorothy. The couple has raised five children together.

    McAuliffe is centering his campaign on building a strong Virginia economy that works for everyone. He plans to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024, two years ahead of the current schedule. He wants to require employers to provide paid sick days along with paid family and medical leave to all workers. Because Virginia is the 10th most expensive state for childcare in the country, McAuliffe wants to assist families burdened with childcare costs by providing subsidies, funneling federal money to families, and making it easier for people to qualify for assistance.

    McAuliffe plans to invest $2 billion in Virginia’s education system every year so that teachers are paid above the national average, children have access to universal pre-K, and every student can get online. To make college more affordable to students, McAuliffe will offer more financial aid and expand on current Governor Ralph Northam’s program that makes community college free to low- and middle-income students studying in certain fields. McAuliffe also wants to boost enrollment at Historically Black Colleges and Universities by providing free tuition to students who promise to teach for five years in the state’s high-need areas.

    While serving as Governor of Virginia, McAuliffe took action to reduce carbon emissions in the state and received a $120.5 million federal grant to combat the rising sea level on Virginia’s coast. He wants Virginia to reach 100% clean energy by 2035 and make access to clean energy and transportation infrastructure more affordable by providing subsidies for solar usage and public transit construction. McAuliffe also plans to address the racial impacts of climate change by providing funding to communities hit by extreme heat and rising sea levels.

    McAuliffe pushed for Medicaid expansion during his first term and wants to increase access to affordable healthcare by supporting Virginia’s plan to create a state-run health insurance marketplace. He backs lowering prescription drug costs, reducing health insurance premiums, and creating a Medicaid buy-in option for people who make too much to qualify for the program but still can’t afford out-of-pocket costs on the marketplace. When he was governor, McAuliffe vetoed Republican legislation that would have limited abortion access. If reelected, McAuliffe plans to incorporate Roe v. Wade into Virginia’s constitution to guarantee that abortion access is protected.

    McAuliffe is running against multimillionaire Republican Glenn Youngkin, the former president of Carlyle Group, one of the world’s largest private equity firms. Youngkin wants to channel the state’s money from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to fund private schools. Youngkin has admitted that he opposes abortion access and will work to dismantle protections for reproductive freedom in the Commonwealth. Youngkin is also against making health coverage more affordable in Virginia.

    McAuliffe is also facing a challenge from activist and educator Princess Blanding, an Independent candidate. Blanding is the sister of Marcus David-Peters, a young Black man who was killed by police in 2018. Blanding wants to hold police accountable by ending qualified immunity and shifting funding away from police departments to invest in community services. She also wants to make health coverage more affordable by creating a public healthcare system.

    Due to his record in providing leadership for the Commonwealth and his support of Virginia working families, the environment, affordable health coverage, and reproductive rights, Terry McAuliffe is the most progressive choice in this race.

    Terry McAuliffe

    Democratic candidate for governor, Terry McAuliffe, was the 72nd Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia from 2014 to 2018. McAuliffe was unable to seek reelection in 2017 due to a state law that bars sitting governors from serving consecutive terms.

  • The daughter of a Salvadorian and North African immigrant father and a Lebanese and Irish mother, Delegate Hala Ayala was one of the first Latina women elected to the House of Delegates, having one her first election to represent the 51st District in 2017. She worked for over 20 years as a cybersecurity specialist and is the single mother of two grown children. If chosen by voters to be the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, Ayala will be the first woman and Afro-Latina to do so.

    Affordable access to healthcare is a central focus for Ayala. As a first-time mother, Ayala depended on Medicaid to give her son life-saving care. In 2018, Ayala voted to expand Medicaid to 400,000 Virginians. In 2020, she co-patroned legislation to cap the cost of insulin in the state. In 2021, she voted to make the cost of prescription drugs transparent and to boost Virginia’s capacity to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. She also wants to reduce Black maternal mortality and create a universal paid family and medical leave program in the Commonwealth.

    As a graduate of Prince William County schools, Ayala believes that a well-funded education system is critical to a thriving Commonwealth. In 2021, she voted to increase teachers’ salaries by 5%. She also supported the “Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3) Fund and Program, which provides free community college to low- and middle-income students who are studying in certain fields. As lieutenant governor, Ayala will prioritize expanding access to pre-K, reducing overcrowding in classrooms, and dedicate more funding to improve school infrastructure.

    Recognizing the climate crisis as a national security threat, Ayala believes the state needs to play a bigger role in addressing the impacts of climate change. She co-patroned the Virginia Clean Economy Act in 2020, which will eliminate carbon emissions in the Commonwealth by 2050. She also wants to dedicate more funding to communities dealing firsthand with the effects of climate change, believing that solutions to the crisis must be created with racial equity in mind.

    Ayala personally understands how hard it is for families to make ends meet. Her family struggled financially when she was a child, and she worked and raised children while obtaining her degree. In 2020, Ayala voted to raise the state’s minimum wage. She supports making paid family and medical leave available to all Virginia working families. In 2021, she voted to strengthen the rights of tenants and protect them from eviction during the pandemic. She also sponsored legislation to protect workers during the pandemic by requiring employers to provide them with personal protective equipment and hazard pay.

    Ayala is running against former delegate Winsome Sears, a Republican who represented Norfolk in the House of Delegates from 2002 to 2003. Sears owns a plumbing and appliance repair store in Winchester. Sears opposes legislation that would make our communities safer from gun violence. She also supports using public money to fund private schools and wants to create deliberate barriers to voting access that make it more difficult for people to participate in our democracy.

    Due to her support of affordable health coverage, the environment, public education, and Virginia working families, Delegate Hala Ayala is the most progressive choice for lieutenant governor in Virginia.
    Last updated: 2023-04-05

    Hala Ayala

    The daughter of a Salvadorian and North African immigrant father and a Lebanese and Irish mother, Delegate Hala Ayala was one of the first Latina women elected to the House of Delegates, having one her first election to represent the 51st District in 2017.
    The daughter of a Salvadorian and North African immigrant father and a Lebanese and Irish mother, Delegate Hala Ayala was one of the first Latina women elected to the House of Delegates, having one her first election to represent the 51st District in 2017. She worked for over 20 years as a cybersecurity specialist and is the single mother of two grown children. If chosen by voters to be the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, Ayala will be the first woman and Afro-Latina to do so.

    Affordable access to healthcare is a central focus for Ayala. As a first-time mother, Ayala depended on Medicaid to give her son life-saving care. In 2018, Ayala voted to expand Medicaid to 400,000 Virginians. In 2020, she co-patroned legislation to cap the cost of insulin in the state. In 2021, she voted to make the cost of prescription drugs transparent and to boost Virginia’s capacity to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. She also wants to reduce Black maternal mortality and create a universal paid family and medical leave program in the Commonwealth.

    As a graduate of Prince William County schools, Ayala believes that a well-funded education system is critical to a thriving Commonwealth. In 2021, she voted to increase teachers’ salaries by 5%. She also supported the “Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3) Fund and Program, which provides free community college to low- and middle-income students who are studying in certain fields. As lieutenant governor, Ayala will prioritize expanding access to pre-K, reducing overcrowding in classrooms, and dedicate more funding to improve school infrastructure.

    Recognizing the climate crisis as a national security threat, Ayala believes the state needs to play a bigger role in addressing the impacts of climate change. She co-patroned the Virginia Clean Economy Act in 2020, which will eliminate carbon emissions in the Commonwealth by 2050. She also wants to dedicate more funding to communities dealing firsthand with the effects of climate change, believing that solutions to the crisis must be created with racial equity in mind.

    Ayala personally understands how hard it is for families to make ends meet. Her family struggled financially when she was a child, and she worked and raised children while obtaining her degree. In 2020, Ayala voted to raise the state’s minimum wage. She supports making paid family and medical leave available to all Virginia working families. In 2021, she voted to strengthen the rights of tenants and protect them from eviction during the pandemic. She also sponsored legislation to protect workers during the pandemic by requiring employers to provide them with personal protective equipment and hazard pay.

    Ayala is running against former delegate Winsome Sears, a Republican who represented Norfolk in the House of Delegates from 2002 to 2003. Sears owns a plumbing and appliance repair store in Winchester. Sears opposes legislation that would make our communities safer from gun violence. She also supports using public money to fund private schools and wants to create deliberate barriers to voting access that make it more difficult for people to participate in our democracy.

    Due to her support of affordable health coverage, the environment, public education, and Virginia working families, Delegate Hala Ayala is the most progressive choice for lieutenant governor in Virginia.

    Hala Ayala

    The daughter of a Salvadorian and North African immigrant father and a Lebanese and Irish mother, Delegate Hala Ayala was one of the first Latina women elected to the House of Delegates, having one her first election to represent the 51st District in 2017.
  • Incumbent Attorney General Mark Herring is seeking his third term in office after having been first elected in 2013. Raised by a single mother in Loudoun County, Herring obtained a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Virginia before earning his law degree from the University of Richmond School of Law. He and his wife of 30 years, Laura, raised two children together.

    Herring has stood up for access to affordable healthcare by fighting off efforts by the Trump administration to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In 2021, Herring defended the ACA by joining a coalition of 21 attorneys general to argue in front of the U.S. Supreme Court against a lawsuit from the Trump administration that would have dismantled the ACA, protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and Medicaid expansion.

    Herring is a champion of reproductive rights and abortion access, and has used his office to support a person’s right to decide when and whether to become a parent. He has signed onto several lawsuits that challenge different states’ restrictive abortion laws. He issued an opinion in 2015 to strike down medically unnecessary Targeted Restrictions on Abortion Providers (TRAP) laws that shuttered women’s health centers in the Commonwealth. In 2019, he successfully filed an injunction against the Trump administration’s efforts to halt contraceptive coverage in health insurance.

    Herring has worked to keep our communities safe from gun violence by standing up to the gun lobby. In 2020, he defended two common-sense laws passed by the General Assembly aimed at preventing gun violence, the one-handgun-a-month law, and extended background checks. The same year, he also successfully defended a challenge to Virginia’s extreme risk protection law, which keeps guns out of the hands of people who pose a risk to themselves or others.

    During his time in office, Herring has fought to keep the promise of democracy real by protecting access to the ballot box. This year, he applauded the passage of the Voting Rights Act of Virginia and joined other attorneys general in urging Congress to pass safeguards that guarantee people’s rights to participate in our democracy by voting. In 2020, he ensured that voters did not face intimidation while casting their ballots in our fair and free elections. In 2016, he defended a decision from former Governor Terry McAuliffe to restore the rights of returning citizens in the Commonwealth.

    Herring is facing a challenge from Delegate Jason Miyares, a conservative Republican who wants to create deliberate barriers to voting access, undermine workers’ rights by keeping Virginia a right-to-work state, and oppose efforts to shift funding away from police budgets to community services. As a delegate, Miyares voted against raising the state’s minimum wage, expanding access to affordable healthcare to hundreds of thousands of Virginians, abolishing the death penalty, and legalizing marijuana. He also opposes abortion access.

    Due to his support of access to affordable healthcare, abortion access, gun violence prevention, and voting rights, Attorney General Mark Herring is the most progressive choice for this race.
    Last updated: 2023-04-05

    Mark Herring

    Incumbent Attorney General Mark Herring is seeking his third term in office after having been first elected in 2013.
    Incumbent Attorney General Mark Herring is seeking his third term in office after having been first elected in 2013. Raised by a single mother in Loudoun County, Herring obtained a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Virginia before earning his law degree from the University of Richmond School of Law. He and his wife of 30 years, Laura, raised two children together.

    Herring has stood up for access to affordable healthcare by fighting off efforts by the Trump administration to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In 2021, Herring defended the ACA by joining a coalition of 21 attorneys general to argue in front of the U.S. Supreme Court against a lawsuit from the Trump administration that would have dismantled the ACA, protections for people with pre-existing conditions, and Medicaid expansion.

    Herring is a champion of reproductive rights and abortion access, and has used his office to support a person’s right to decide when and whether to become a parent. He has signed onto several lawsuits that challenge different states’ restrictive abortion laws. He issued an opinion in 2015 to strike down medically unnecessary Targeted Restrictions on Abortion Providers (TRAP) laws that shuttered women’s health centers in the Commonwealth. In 2019, he successfully filed an injunction against the Trump administration’s efforts to halt contraceptive coverage in health insurance.

    Herring has worked to keep our communities safe from gun violence by standing up to the gun lobby. In 2020, he defended two common-sense laws passed by the General Assembly aimed at preventing gun violence, the one-handgun-a-month law, and extended background checks. The same year, he also successfully defended a challenge to Virginia’s extreme risk protection law, which keeps guns out of the hands of people who pose a risk to themselves or others.

    During his time in office, Herring has fought to keep the promise of democracy real by protecting access to the ballot box. This year, he applauded the passage of the Voting Rights Act of Virginia and joined other attorneys general in urging Congress to pass safeguards that guarantee people’s rights to participate in our democracy by voting. In 2020, he ensured that voters did not face intimidation while casting their ballots in our fair and free elections. In 2016, he defended a decision from former Governor Terry McAuliffe to restore the rights of returning citizens in the Commonwealth.

    Herring is facing a challenge from Delegate Jason Miyares, a conservative Republican who wants to create deliberate barriers to voting access, undermine workers’ rights by keeping Virginia a right-to-work state, and oppose efforts to shift funding away from police budgets to community services. As a delegate, Miyares voted against raising the state’s minimum wage, expanding access to affordable healthcare to hundreds of thousands of Virginians, abolishing the death penalty, and legalizing marijuana. He also opposes abortion access.

    Due to his support of access to affordable healthcare, abortion access, gun violence prevention, and voting rights, Attorney General Mark Herring is the most progressive choice for this race.

    Mark Herring

    Incumbent Attorney General Mark Herring is seeking his third term in office after having been first elected in 2013.

House of Delegates

Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below House of Delegate races on your ballot.

  • Virginia’s new 92nd House of Delegates district encompasses parts of Norfolk City and parts of Chesapeake City. With almost 55,000 registered voters, this district leans strongly Democratic.

    Incumbent Delegate Jeion Ward has represented the 92nd District since 2004. A native of Hampton Roads, she attended Thomas Nelson Community College before graduating from Christopher Newport University. She became a teacher and is the president of the Hampton Federation of Teachers, AFT Local 4260. She is active in the Hampton Branch NAACP, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and the Hampton Democratic Committee. She is married to her high school sweetheart with whom she has three sons.

    Ward is a strong advocate for working families and serves as chair of the House Labor and Commerce Committee. She successfully sponsored legislation to raise Virginia’s minimum wage in 2020. She fought the following year to remove a Jim Crow-era exemption that bars farmworkers from earning the minimum wage but was unsuccessful. Ward supports the right of workers to form unions and voted for legislation to allow municipal employees to collectively bargain. She also wants to repeal Virginia’s right-to-work law.

    Ward voted in favor of the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which will facilitate Virginia’s transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050. She also supported the creation of new emission standards for cars and requiring car manufacturers to produce a certain percentage of low- and zero-emission vehicles. She voted in favor of the creation of a rebate for individuals who purchase electric vehicles, incentivizing the use of efficient transportation. Additionally, she is working on expanding the state’s vehicle charging infrastructure.

    As a middle school teacher, Ward believes in the importance of a well-funded education system. She voted for 5% raises for teachers, which she sees as a critical step for addressing the teacher shortage in Hampton and statewide. She supports increasing funding to allow for smaller class sizes, particularly for younger students who benefit from more teacher-student interaction. She also voted for additional funding for schools so they can reopen safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Ward wants to keep communities safe with common-sense measures to prevent gun violence. She was chief patron of a successful bill to establish a one-handgun-per-month purchase limit. She also supported universal background checks and the right of localities to regulate the possession of firearms, along with other gun violence prevention legislation passed in 2020. She voted in favor of abolishing the death penalty in Virginia and for the legalization of marijuana.

    Ward is facing a challenge from Republican Benjamin Siff. He opposes a person’s right to decide when and whether to become a parent and the Virginia Clean Economy Act. Siff supports using taxpayer money to fund private education through school voucher programs. He also opposes policies to make our public schools welcoming and inclusive places.

    Due to her support of working families, the environment, gun violence prevention, and public education, Delegate Jeion Ward is the most progressive choice in this race for the 92nd District.

  • Virginia’s new 93rd House of Delegates district encompasses parts of Norfolk City. With over 56,000 registered voters, this district leans strongly Democratic.

    Incumbent Delegate Mike Mullin is a prosecutor who has served in the House of Delegates since 2016. Mullin earned his bachelor’s degree from Christopher Newport University and his law degree from the Catholic University Law School. Professionally, he works as an assistant commonwealth’s attorney for the City of Hampton and as an investigator with the Virginia Gang Investigators’ Association. He lives in Newport News with his wife and three sons.

    Mullin is a strong advocate for criminal justice reform. He was the chief patron of the bill to abolish the death penalty, which made Virginia the first Southern state to do so. He voted in favor of marijuana legalization. He also introduced and successfully passed a bill to divert minors from the traditional justice system into a youth-oriented system that can better support their needs. He voted for automatic expungement for certain criminal records and for victims of human trafficking, to ensure these individuals have better access to housing and jobs.

    Mullin has supported working families in Virginia. He voted in favor of increasing the state’s minimum wage in 2020. He successfully sponsored the Virginia Overtime Wage Act, which ensures employees can sue their employers if they are not fairly compensated for overtime work. Mullin also expanded access to job training, voting in favor of the creation of the Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back (G3) program, which makes community college tuition-free for low- and middle-income individuals who study in certain fields.

    Mullin has also worked to make the promise of democracy real for us all by expanding access to the ballot. He supported the passage of the Virginia Voting Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination at the polls. He also passed bills to expand access to curbside and absentee voting in 2020. Additionally, he was a sponsor of a bill to implement same-day voter registration starting in 2022. He also supported the passage of a bill that makes Election Day a state holiday.

    Mullin has worked to ensure Virginia schools are safe and well-funded. He voted in favor of a bill to prohibit guns on school property. He voted in favor of 5% raises for teachers and additional funding so schools can safely reopen during the pandemic. He also increased funding for early childhood education and decrease the counselor-to-student ratio in schools. He voted for the Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back “G3” Program which makes community college more affordable to qualifying low-and middle-income students who study in certain fields.

    Mullin’s opponent is Republican Jordan Gray, a Madison, Va. native and teacher. Gray supports using taxpayer money to fund private schools through school voucher programs.
    He opposes making the rich and wealthy corporations who benefit from our communities pay their fair share in taxes. He also opposes efforts to shift police funding to social services such as housing and mental health care.

    Due to his support of criminal justice reform, working families, voting access, and public education, Delegate Mike Mullin is the most progressive choice in this race.

  • Virginia’s new 94th House of Delegates district encompasses parts of Norfolk City. With close to 42,000 registered voters, this district leans Democratic.

    Incumbent Democratic Delegate Shelly Simonds is an activist and educator who has represented the 94th District since 2019. She attended Bucknell University to earn her undergraduate degree and Stanford University, where she received her master’s degree in communications. After college, she settled down in Newport News with her husband to raise their two daughters. She became a Spanish teacher at her daughters’ elementary school and was elected to the Newport News School Board in 2012.

    Simonds has been an advocate for the environment by supporting multiple bills that have been important for addressing climate change and protecting the state’s natural resources. She was a patron of the Virginia Clean Economy Act, which will transition Virginia’s power grid to rely on 100% renewable energy by 2050. She also supported the creation of a major offshore wind energy facility and a rebate for individuals who purchase or drive low-emission vehicles. She supports increased funding for land conservation as well as community parks and green spaces. She opposes fracking and uranium mining.

    Simonds has also worked to ensure women are able to receive equal treatment in the workplace. She supported the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment in the state. Additionally, she’s worked to expand childcare, knowing how access and affordability are critical to letting parents participate in the labor force. She served as a patron of a bill that greatly expanded subsidies for childcare. She also supported the passage of the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights, which added critical worker protections to a previously overlooked, primarily women of color workforce.

    As a former teacher, Simonds has worked to ensure that Virginia’s schools are well-funded and equitable. She voted in favor of raises for teachers, which will help address the state’s shortage of teachers and help the state retain and recruit high-quality educators. Simonds also supports actions to address the achievement gap in her district. As a member of the Virginia School Board Association’s Challenged Schools Taskforce, Simonds helped secure $2,000,000 of funding for low-income students to attend educational support programs.

    Simonds has also expanded access to affordable healthcare in the state. She supported a successful bill to end surprise medical billing so that insurance companies have to be transparent about what a patient will be charged. Simonds also worked to decrease prescription drug prices, voting to implement a $50 monthly price cap on insulin. She expanded access to critical reproductive health care, voting to require insurance companies to cover abortions.

    Simonds’ opponent is Russ Harper (R), a U.S. Army Veteran, pastor, and small business owner. He does not support common-sense gun violence prevention measures and making the rich and wealthy corporations that benefit from our communities pay their fair share in taxes. Harper also opposes abortion access and efforts to expand voting access in Virginia.

    Due to her support of the environment, public education, working families, and access to affordable healthcare, Delegate Shelly Simonds is the most progressive choice in this race.

  • Virginia’s new 95th House of Delegates district encompasses parts of Virginia Beach City and parts of Norfolk City. With over 57,000 registered voters, this district leans Democratic.

    Incumbent Delegate Marcia “Cia” Price has represented the 95th District in the House of Delegates since 2016. She received an undergraduate degree from Spelman College and a master’s degree from Howard University. She has served as a special assistant in the Virginia Liaison Office, a state coordinator for the NAACP’s This Is My Vote! Campaign, and a dental office administrator. She founded the Virginia Black Leadership Organizing Collaborative (VA BLOC), which focuses on voter and civic engagement.

    Price is a strong supporter of expanding access to the ballot box. She successfully sponsored the Voting Rights Act of Virginia, which prohibits discrimination at the polls. She also voted to keep voters safe during the pandemic by establishing drop boxes for ballots and removing the witness signature requirement for absentee ballots during an emergency. Price also voted for bills to extend early voting, remove the requirement for an excuse for absentee voting, open up the polls for Sunday voting hours and opportunities for curbside voting, in addition to making Election Day a state holiday.
    Price wants to address the housing crisis by advocating for tenant rights and affordable housing in the Commonwealth. She was the chief patron of legislation to ensure that measures to protect the rights of tenants during the pandemic are made permanent and supported additional measures to protect renters during the pandemic. She also helped expand access to the Virginia Rent Relief Program and voted to create the Virginia housing opportunity tax credit, which assists low-income individuals.

    Price was a co-patron of the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights, which provided critical protections for workers like housekeepers, nannies, and many others, ensuring they have the same labor protections and a minimum wage like everyone else. In addition, she voted in favor of successfully raising the minimum wage and supported efforts to end the exclusion of farmworkers from minimum wage requirements. She also helped pass the Virginia Overtime Wage Act, which guarantees employees receive fair compensation for overtime work.

    Price has worked to make healthcare affordable and accessible to all. In 2018, she voted to expand Medicaid, increasing coverage for nearly 500,000 Virginians. She supported the $50 cap on insulin and is working to cap prices for other expensive prescription drugs. She also voted in favor of a bill to require state-run health facilities to treat undocumented immigrants rather than report them. She also voted for legislation that requires insurance companies to cover abortion services.

    Price is facing a challenge from Republican David Wilson, a conservative community organizer. Wilson opposes access to abortion. Wilson has also shared homophobic content on social media. He opposes government efforts to keep communities safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, including mask wearing, and is posting misinformation on the COVID-19 vaccine on social media.

    Due to her support of expanding access to the ballot, working families, and access to affordable healthcare, Delegate Marcia Price is the most progressive choice in this race.

  • Incumbent Daun Hester is running for reelection for her second term as Norfolk Treasurer. Hester earned a master’s degree in education and human development from George Washington University. She worked as an educator and an administrator in the Norfolk Public School System for 22 years. Hester also served on the Norfolk City Council from 1996 to 2010 and was vice-mayor from 2004 to 2008. Hester was a member of the House of Delegates, representing the 89th District from 2012 to 2017.

    As Norfolk Treasurer, Hester implemented an online bill payment system for the city to encourage taxpayers to go paperless and also to offer the convenience of having a portal where taxpayers can view all of their bills to make full or partial payments. When she served on Norfolk’s city council, Hester helped establish the “Norfolk Youth Council” to develop future leaders of the city. She served on a few task forces to guide commercial and residential development by helping business owners and residents identify ways to improve their communities.
    In the House of Delegates, Hester served on the Appropriations, Education, and General Laws committees. As a delegate, Hester patroned legislation to make community college free to qualifying individuals and make higher education institutions more accountable for sexual misconduct. She sponsored a bill to hold child welfare agencies accountable for operating without a license. She also supported reproductive rights by voting to increase access to birth control and against defunding Planned Parenthood.

    She was the co-chair for Norfolk United – Facing Race, a city-wide initiative to foster dialogue on race and reconciliation. Hester serves as co-chair of Black Women for Positive Change, an organization that works to change the culture of violence. Hester has always been an outspoken advocate for young people in Norfolk. In 2009, she was part of discussions to eliminate the school to prison pipeline in Norfolk and the over-representation of minority youth in the juvenile justice system. She was recognized by the Champions for Children Prevent Child Abuse Hampton Roads as the 2016 Legislative Champion for Children.

    She also worked for the Planning Council, a regional agency to help children and families by better connecting them to resources and programs so they can thrive. She runs her own education and training firm, Hester and Company, which provides consulting and programming services in education, family, strategic planning, and community development. Her expertise has been helpful for the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Chesterfield Public Schools, and Norfolk State University.

    Hester is running unopposed. Due to Hester’s history of civic service, advocacy for young people, support of reproductive rights, and dedication to her com
    Last updated: 2023-04-05

    Daun Hester

    Incumbent Daun Hester is running for reelection for her second term as Norfolk Treasurer. Hester earned a master’s degree in education and human development from George Washington University. She worked as an educator and an administrator in the Norfolk Public School System for 22 years.
    Incumbent Daun Hester is running for reelection for her second term as Norfolk Treasurer. Hester earned a master’s degree in education and human development from George Washington University. She worked as an educator and an administrator in the Norfolk Public School System for 22 years. Hester also served on the Norfolk City Council from 1996 to 2010 and was vice-mayor from 2004 to 2008. Hester was a member of the House of Delegates, representing the 89th District from 2012 to 2017.

    As Norfolk Treasurer, Hester implemented an online bill payment system for the city to encourage taxpayers to go paperless and also to offer the convenience of having a portal where taxpayers can view all of their bills to make full or partial payments. When she served on Norfolk’s city council, Hester helped establish the “Norfolk Youth Council” to develop future leaders of the city. She served on a few task forces to guide commercial and residential development by helping business owners and residents identify ways to improve their communities.
    In the House of Delegates, Hester served on the Appropriations, Education, and General Laws committees. As a delegate, Hester patroned legislation to make community college free to qualifying individuals and make higher education institutions more accountable for sexual misconduct. She sponsored a bill to hold child welfare agencies accountable for operating without a license. She also supported reproductive rights by voting to increase access to birth control and against defunding Planned Parenthood.

    She was the co-chair for Norfolk United – Facing Race, a city-wide initiative to foster dialogue on race and reconciliation. Hester serves as co-chair of Black Women for Positive Change, an organization that works to change the culture of violence. Hester has always been an outspoken advocate for young people in Norfolk. In 2009, she was part of discussions to eliminate the school to prison pipeline in Norfolk and the over-representation of minority youth in the juvenile justice system. She was recognized by the Champions for Children Prevent Child Abuse Hampton Roads as the 2016 Legislative Champion for Children.

    She also worked for the Planning Council, a regional agency to help children and families by better connecting them to resources and programs so they can thrive. She runs her own education and training firm, Hester and Company, which provides consulting and programming services in education, family, strategic planning, and community development. Her expertise has been helpful for the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Chesterfield Public Schools, and Norfolk State University.

    Hester is running unopposed. Due to Hester’s history of civic service, advocacy for young people, support of reproductive rights, and dedication to her com

    Daun Hester

    Incumbent Daun Hester is running for reelection for her second term as Norfolk Treasurer. Hester earned a master’s degree in education and human development from George Washington University. She worked as an educator and an administrator in the Norfolk Public School System for 22 years.

No Recommendation

Incumbent Norfolk Sheriff Joe Baron (D) is seeking a second term in office since his election in 2017. His focus as sheriff is employee morale, inmate care, and improving community outreach. He cooperated with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to lock up hundreds of undocumented immigrants in the city’s jail. He also pulled all of Norfolk’s incarcerated population out of Hampton Roads Regional Jail due to inhumane conditions at the facility.

Baron is facing a challenge from independent candidate Neil Bradley. Bradley does not support keeping communities safe by passing common-sense measures aimed at preventing gun violence. Bradley supports undermining our fair and free elections by creating barriers to prevent voting access. He also opposes holding police accountable for abusing their power.

We have no recommendation for this race. However, we still encourage you to show up to vote on November 2 by writing in the candidate of your choice for this race and the other races on your ballot.

No Recommendations - Norfolk - Sheriff

Incumbent Norfolk Sheriff Joe Baron (D) is seeking a second term in office since his election in 2017. His focus as sheriff is employee morale, inmate care, and improving community outreach.
  • Ramin Fatehi, a Hampton Roads native, has served as a prosecutor since 2006, the last eight years in the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Office. Prior to his service in Norfolk, Fatehi was an assistant public defender in Richmond, an assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Chesapeake, and a federal prosecutor in Charlottesville. He received a bachelor's degree from Yale University in 2000 and a law degree from Columbia University School of Law in 2003. Fatehi and his wife have two sons together.

    Fatehi advocates using his office to fight for a fair and equitable justice system in Norfolk. He believes in building community trust by stopping the criminalization of poverty, homelessness, mental illness, and substance use disorder. He is a proponent of community prosecution, which seeks to make prosecutors responsive to the needs of the communities they represent. Fatehi supports victim advocacy efforts like the Family Justice Center in Norfolk, which caters to the needs of survivors of domestic and sexual violence by providing them with services and treatment. He also advocates for funding the Virginia Witness Protection program.

    Fatehi believes in restorative justice initiatives and wants to prevent violence before police are called by involving community leaders to defuse tensions that often lead to violence. Fatehi wants to establish a “Conviction Integrity Unit” at the prosecutor’s office to prevent sending innocent people to prison. He promises for faster review of police shootings and misconduct. He also wants to address racial disparities in prosecution by requiring all prosecutors to undergo implicit bias training and study the history of systemic racism and mass incarceration in the U.S.

    Fatehi wants to end cash bail in Norfolk, a system that punishes poor people by keeping them incarcerated because they can’t afford to post bail. He supports full marijuana legalization and regulation. He wants to get rid of mandatory minimums and non-waivable court fees. He believes that simple possession of certain drugs should be reclassified as a misdemeanor. Additionally, he supports making it easier for people convicted of certain crimes to expunge and seal their records.

    Fatehi supports the efforts of other progressive commonwealth’s attorneys in Virginia to reform the state’s funding formula for prosecutors that incentivizes them to seek harsher sentences instead of leniency. Fatehi opposes the death penalty and believes in abolishing it on the federal level. Fatehi supports the removal of Confederate statues and memorials in the Commonwealth. He also advocates for a 21st Century Presidential Task Force on Prosecutor Reform to invest in structural changes in the country’s criminal justice system.

    Fatehi is running unopposed. Due to his support of equity, ending mass incarceration, community prosecution, abolition of the death penalty, and other criminal justice reforms, Fatehi is the progressive choice in this race.
    Last updated: 2023-04-05

    Ramin Fatehi

    Ramin Fatehi, a Hampton Roads native, has served as a prosecutor since 2006, the last eight years in the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Office.
    Ramin Fatehi, a Hampton Roads native, has served as a prosecutor since 2006, the last eight years in the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Office. Prior to his service in Norfolk, Fatehi was an assistant public defender in Richmond, an assistant commonwealth’s attorney in Chesapeake, and a federal prosecutor in Charlottesville. He received a bachelor's degree from Yale University in 2000 and a law degree from Columbia University School of Law in 2003. Fatehi and his wife have two sons together.

    Fatehi advocates using his office to fight for a fair and equitable justice system in Norfolk. He believes in building community trust by stopping the criminalization of poverty, homelessness, mental illness, and substance use disorder. He is a proponent of community prosecution, which seeks to make prosecutors responsive to the needs of the communities they represent. Fatehi supports victim advocacy efforts like the Family Justice Center in Norfolk, which caters to the needs of survivors of domestic and sexual violence by providing them with services and treatment. He also advocates for funding the Virginia Witness Protection program.

    Fatehi believes in restorative justice initiatives and wants to prevent violence before police are called by involving community leaders to defuse tensions that often lead to violence. Fatehi wants to establish a “Conviction Integrity Unit” at the prosecutor’s office to prevent sending innocent people to prison. He promises for faster review of police shootings and misconduct. He also wants to address racial disparities in prosecution by requiring all prosecutors to undergo implicit bias training and study the history of systemic racism and mass incarceration in the U.S.

    Fatehi wants to end cash bail in Norfolk, a system that punishes poor people by keeping them incarcerated because they can’t afford to post bail. He supports full marijuana legalization and regulation. He wants to get rid of mandatory minimums and non-waivable court fees. He believes that simple possession of certain drugs should be reclassified as a misdemeanor. Additionally, he supports making it easier for people convicted of certain crimes to expunge and seal their records.

    Fatehi supports the efforts of other progressive commonwealth’s attorneys in Virginia to reform the state’s funding formula for prosecutors that incentivizes them to seek harsher sentences instead of leniency. Fatehi opposes the death penalty and believes in abolishing it on the federal level. Fatehi supports the removal of Confederate statues and memorials in the Commonwealth. He also advocates for a 21st Century Presidential Task Force on Prosecutor Reform to invest in structural changes in the country’s criminal justice system.

    Fatehi is running unopposed. Due to his support of equity, ending mass incarceration, community prosecution, abolition of the death penalty, and other criminal justice reforms, Fatehi is the progressive choice in this race.

    Ramin Fatehi

    Ramin Fatehi, a Hampton Roads native, has served as a prosecutor since 2006, the last eight years in the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Office.

No Recommendation

Incumbent Blythe Scott (D) is running for reelection for Norfolk Commissioner of the Revenue in Virginia. She earned her law degree from the University of Virginia in 1998. Scott was appointed to the position in April after the former commissioner of revenue resigned in April, making her the first Black person to hold the post. Scott emphasizes the importance of small business and financial health in a thriving community.

Also running for commissioner of revenue in Norfolk is independent candidate Adam Goldberg, a Navy veteran. He wants to make the office more responsive to city residents, restructure property tax rates, and offer tax breaks to first-time homeowners. Goldberg wants to offer tax reduction programs to elderly and disabled residents.

The third candidate for Norfolk Commissioner of the Revenue is Nicole Sanders (I), a small business owner and community activist. Sanders wants to use the office to promote financial literacy for residents of Norfolk. She also promises more accountability, transparency, and technological advancements with the office while working on an improved relationship with city council.

We have no recommendation for this race. However, we still encourage you to show up to vote on November 2 and vote for or write-in the candidate of your choice for this race and the other races on your ballot.

Norfolk Commissioner of the Revenue

Incumbent Blythe Scott (D) is running for reelection for Norfolk Commissioner of the Revenue in Virginia. She earned her law degree from the University of Virginia in 1998.

Depending on where you live, you may have the following district races on your ballot.

  • Jackie Glass is a Navy veteran and small-business owner. Originally from Chicago, she moved to Virginia eight years ago and currently resides in Ballentine Place. Glass has years of experience working toward a more just society. Glass worked with state Senator Lionell Spruill to bring the Crown Act to Virginia, making it illegal to discriminate against the way a person chooses to wear their hair. She was a leading force in the citizen fight against the Pamunkey Indian Tribe’s casino deal with the city. Glass currently serves as a member of the Mayor's Commission for Social Equity and Economic Opportunity.

    Glass is running on a platform that says there is no room for racism, sexism, classism, or ableism in economic and community development. Glass lists quality, affordable childcare as a priority. She wants to support working parents as they return to their workplaces and invest in childcare work and business opportunities through grants and business development courses.Glass is committed to increasing renter protections with a focus on underserved and renting families, domestic violence survivors, and residents with disabilities.

    Glass also supports implementing rank choice voting. She will work with historically disenfranchised and underrepresented groups, such as people of color and women, who are among those most likely to benefit from the adoption of ranked-choice voting. She plans to support a charter amendment to elect certain offices by ranked-choice voting.

    She passionately believes that residents should be able to ensure that developments in the City of Norfolk will allow them to provide for their own and their family’s basic needs. She would advocate for a robust online database of subsidized projects so residents know where and how their money is being spent and if their best interests are being served.

    Due to her strong support and advocacy for an inclusive community, affordable childcare options, protections for renters, and commitment to addressing racism, homophobia, classism, disablism, and sexism, Jackie Glass is the progressive choice in this race.
    Last updated: 2023-04-05

    Jackie Glass

    Jackie Glass is a Navy veteran and small-business owner. Originally from Chicago, she moved to Virginia eight years ago and currently resides in Ballentine Place. Glass has years of experience working toward a more just society.
    Jackie Glass is a Navy veteran and small-business owner. Originally from Chicago, she moved to Virginia eight years ago and currently resides in Ballentine Place. Glass has years of experience working toward a more just society. Glass worked with state Senator Lionell Spruill to bring the Crown Act to Virginia, making it illegal to discriminate against the way a person chooses to wear their hair. She was a leading force in the citizen fight against the Pamunkey Indian Tribe’s casino deal with the city. Glass currently serves as a member of the Mayor's Commission for Social Equity and Economic Opportunity.

    Glass is running on a platform that says there is no room for racism, sexism, classism, or ableism in economic and community development. Glass lists quality, affordable childcare as a priority. She wants to support working parents as they return to their workplaces and invest in childcare work and business opportunities through grants and business development courses.Glass is committed to increasing renter protections with a focus on underserved and renting families, domestic violence survivors, and residents with disabilities.

    Glass also supports implementing rank choice voting. She will work with historically disenfranchised and underrepresented groups, such as people of color and women, who are among those most likely to benefit from the adoption of ranked-choice voting. She plans to support a charter amendment to elect certain offices by ranked-choice voting.

    She passionately believes that residents should be able to ensure that developments in the City of Norfolk will allow them to provide for their own and their family’s basic needs. She would advocate for a robust online database of subsidized projects so residents know where and how their money is being spent and if their best interests are being served.

    Due to her strong support and advocacy for an inclusive community, affordable childcare options, protections for renters, and commitment to addressing racism, homophobia, classism, disablism, and sexism, Jackie Glass is the progressive choice in this race.

    Jackie Glass

    Jackie Glass is a Navy veteran and small-business owner. Originally from Chicago, she moved to Virginia eight years ago and currently resides in Ballentine Place. Glass has years of experience working toward a more just society.

Other Candidates

Also running for the Norfolk City Council Superward 7 seat are Danica Royster, Michael Muhammad, Fred McRae, Jason Inge, and Phillip Hawkins Jr.

Danica Royster is a graduate of Old Dominion University and currently works as a wealth consultant. She has stated that her priorities would include economic and community development for the Superward 7 and public safety. Royster is committed to progress, through leading and advocating for policies that are rooted in equality and equity. She is a strong supporter of locally owned businesses, as well as Norfolk Public Schools, and can often be seen visiting them in her free time. Royster participates in and encourages the planning of city clean ups, and advocates for a strong, thriving community by vaccine and mask wearing.

Michael Muhammad is an activist and political consultant, as well as a life-long Norfolk resident. Previously, Muhammad ran in 2014 as a nonpartisan candidate for Mayor of Norfolk. One of Muhammad’s most pressing concerns for the city of Norfolk is gun violence impact the city’s youth. On his campaign website, he cites more burials of Norfolk children than opening of new Norfolk businesses. According to his website, he is one of the only city council candidates with experience in the creation of policies at the local, state, and federal level. Muhammad hopes to increase funding for local barbershops and salons, and would like to bring back neighborhood sports leagues, to “bring our youth together.”

Fred McRae, is a 48-year-old community activist, contractor and barbershop owner, who comes to the City Council race with no political experience.

McRae was born and raised in Norfolk, and is motivated to run for office due to the lack of communication he has experienced with current City Council members. McRae’s desire to serve as a City Council member is his way of representing the people of Norfolk who come from a similar background as him. McRae has expressed concern regarding the current economic and social direction of the city of Norfolk and has previously stood before the City Council to discuss disparities that exist across several areas in Norfolk.

Jason Inge is a 33-year old transportation mobility manager for Senior Services of Southeastern Virginia who is running for office for the very first time. In the past, he has served on state and local boards and commissions, and has a strong desire to build coalitions to improve the city of Norfolk. Inge consistently shows support of the people and neighborhoods of Norfolk, through expressing his concern over the lack of affordable housing within the city. He is the current president of the Urban League of Hampton Roads Young Professionals.


Phillip Hawkins Jr is a Norfolk Public Schools teacher and the president-elect of the Education Association of Norfolk. Hawkins was endorsed by Virginia State Senator Lionell Spruill Sr. and was awarded gun sense candidate distinction from Moms Demand Action for his advocacy to end gun violence. He lists equity, affordable quality housing, better wages, and protecting the environment among his top priorities.