VIRGINIA BEACH — For the first time, Virginia Beach on Tuesday, Nov. 8, completed voting in a local election process in which City Council and School Board candidates were selected as district representatives only by the voters who live within said district.
In the past, under the city’s former at-large system, even people living outside a residency district picked its representation.
No more.
Due to changes to state law and the city’s victory in an appeal of a federal ruling that had led to the new 10-district system, it is not certain whether the city will elect its leaders the same way again. But the system was in effect this year, and it has led to a City Council that will look a lot different in January.
Unofficial returns reported by the state Department of Elections indicate two incumbents, Councilmembers Linwood Branch in District 6 and John Moss in District 9, fell to challengers.
And the council is poised to have four new faces joining its ranks — Worth Remick in District 6, Chris Taylor in District 8, Joash Schulman in District 9 and Jennifer Rouse in District 10.
And a familiar face will return. Dr. Amelia Ross-Hammond, who formerly represented the Kempsville District, won election to the new District 4 seat after running unopposed.
A big caveat to what follows about the other council races in Virginia Beach: Provisional and some absentee ballots were still being counted, and election results remain unofficial. It is possible some tighter races could change or enter into recount territory. Results may come Monday, Nov. 14.
Two incumbents appear to be returning.
In a special election in District 1, Rocky Holcomb, a former state delegate appointed to the former Kempsville seat last year, appeared to have won the election to complete a term begun by former Councilmember Jessica Abbott, who resigned last year following a health issue.
In District 2, which includes the main coverage area of The Independent News, longtime incumbent Barbara Henley appeared to hold off four challengers to remain on a council she first joined in 1978.
A rundown of what is known about the races that were contested follows.
• District 1: Holcomb, who had been appointed temporarily to serve on the council, appeared to win a special election to continue to serve and complete the term Abbott began. His appointment was to last until the result of the special election, in which Holcomb defeated Melissa Peck by a margin that is not expected to change.
Holcomb appeared to be the highest vote-getter among council candidates in the local races held under the new system.
“I feel good about that,” Holcomb said during an interview on Wednesday, Nov. 9. “My roots run deep in District 1. It’s a blue-collar district, and I’m glad to represent those folks.”
Holcomb said he is honored voters wanted him to continue to serve on the council.
“Moving forward with this new council,” he said, “we’ve got to learn to work together in this new system to do the best we can for the district and the city. … We can’t pull in separate directions. We’ve got to pull together for the city.”
Peck, a trained librarian and graduate student who lives in Salem Woods, was seeking public office for the first time.
Gathering with supporters and family in Red Mill, Henley noted, “It’s looking like there’s a new councilperson.”
But, on Wednesday, Nov. 9, Henley led Fekete and, in third place, Miller.
Henley did not want to declare victory before seeing the final numbers in the race, which may not be known until this coming week. “The first time I went to sleep, I thought I had lost,” she said, adding that someone called her when the number had changed late on Election Day.
Miller on Thursday, Nov. 10, said she planned to concede but had not spoken with Henley yet and would call her shortly.
Miller said she wanted to tell Henley she was grateful to have participated in the process with her.
“I can’t even begin to tell you how amazing the process has been and what I experienced,” Miller added. “I don’t regret anything. It was phenomenal and I think I’m a better person because it.”
“I am very proud of the outcome that I had because every one of those single thousands of voters that voted for me came to vote for me, not the party,” Mauch said during an interview on Thursday, Nov. 10, in which he discussed the effect of partisan support in local races that are nonpartisan.
“I appreciate Barbara, and I think she knows exactly what she’s doing,” he added. “I’m here as a resource if she needs me.”
Telkamp on Thursday, Nov. 10, said he was grateful for his supporters.
“I want to tell them thank you for the trust, for the belief, for everything they did for me, whether it was publicly or silently,” he said.
“For all the other candidates and anyone that ran a forum, thank you for being cordial,” he added. “Thank you for having me. I look forward to future conversations on what is needed in our district so I can help.”
Fekete could not be reached for comment.
• District 6: Remick appears to have defeated three candidates including Branch, who was appointed to the council last year and previously represented the former Beach District, to represent the new District 6
Remick led in an expensive, tough race, with 43.2 percent of the vote, according to unofficial returns that did not include provisional ballots. As it stood this past week, Branch earned 41.9 percent of the vote, and two other candidates, Richard “R.K.” Kowalewitch and Cat Porterfield, earned 8.9 percent and 5.7 percent, respectively.
Branch has not conceded, but Remick in a statement to social media and an interview declared victory. “It’s a new day in Virginia Beach, and we all need to move forward together,” Remick said. “It was a change election, and I think my race reflected that.”
Remick said his work will include learning the new council. He said there are issues to study and learn about, and he added that he is in the process of reaching out to stakeholders in the district to connect. “You have five new members who are replacing retiring members or newly created districts,” he said. “I think we all need to get to know each other.
Branch on Thursday, Nov. 10, said he is appreciative of support he had gotten following his possible loss in the race. “Number one, to have had so many people to reach out to me the past couple of days,” Branch said. “I’m having the eulogy without the funeral.”
Branch is uncertain counting remaining votes will overcome the difference. “We’ll find out Monday if it holds.,” he said.
Branch said he was especially disappointed with negative advertising by Remick in the race, but he is at peace with the possibility he will not return — though he is disappointed he may not serve a full term and accomplish goals for the district and city.
Branch was appointed this past year to represent the Lynnhaven District following the resignation of former Vice Mayor Jim Wood due to a professional opportunity.
“I think there’s five new people coming to council,” Taylor, who owns a small business, said during an interview on Wednesday, Nov. 9. “I’m looking forward to being an effective listener, getting to talk with current council members and meeting new members so we can effectively collaborate.”
“I wish him well,” Marsh said on Thursday, Nov. 10, noting that she had congratulated Taylor via email. “I wish him the best. He’s going to be my representative.”
“I wish him the best,” Andrews said. “Council will be a unique place when they all get seated. It’s a big change.”
During a watch party late Tuesday, Schulman said he was grateful to family, friends and supporters – and to the other candidates for running a race about issues. “It was focused on the issues, not on the other candidates,” he said, and he showed a reporter a photo of the three candidates in the race together at a polling location on Election Day.
“I feel like we’ve got a wonderful opportunity now to bring just some positivity, and I’m just really thankful,” Schulman said on Wednesday, Nov. 9. “What an experience. … I also feel like the door-knocking isn’t going to stop.” Schulman noted that he wants to reach out to voters who did not support him. “I’ve got some work to do to help make them feel they’re part of the solution, too.”
Moss on Wednesday, Nov. 9, said he had congratulated Schulman and expected the results to remain the same.
“I think it’s not reasonable to expect the votes that remain are going to have any conclusive effect on the results,” he said about provisional votes that remained.
In a statement on social media, Moss thanked supporters and said he expected Schulman to remain the winner when votes were counted. “I have been blessed with the honor and privilege of serving my fellow Beach residents for the last 12 years with no regrets and too numerous to count fond memories. God has blessed me beyond measure in elective office. Come the new year, I will be blessed with new opportunities.”
• District 10: Jennifer Rouse, whose husband Aaron Rouse is a member of the council but did not seek reelection, is the presumptive winner over Heidi Daniels.
“I am very proud,” Jennifer Rouse said during an interview, speaking of the campaign. “There are so many volunteers who helped me knock on doors, who talked with people in their family. … There was no mudslinging, no talking about other candidates.”
Rouse said the new system worked as intended because “money and existing power didn’t determine the outcome. …
“I look forward to looking with this new city council,” Rouse added. “I saw this morning it’s the most diverse council in the city’s history. That’s a credit to this new district system.”
Daniels said provisional ballots remained to be counted, though she did not expect it to make a difference.
“I think I did fairly well,” Daniels said Thursday, Nov. 10, adding that she met lots of great people during the campaign who would help her keep helping the community.
She said she already reached out to Rouse.
“We spoke earlier,” Daniels said. “We’re going to get together next week and work together to get things done.”
© 2022 Pungo Publishing Co., LLC
Not big enough changes. Mrs Henley’s 40 yrs on City Council is way too long & winning a seat w/ only 31% of just your district is ridiculous. We can do better @ City of VB
There is something very wrong with our voting system when it takes so long for results. We need to go back to same day voting and results. The system we had worked. I do not trust the voting system today. In my opinion, I do not agree with the redrawing of the lines. It was not too late to move forward when VABCH won in the courts. City Council doesn’t get along, and this is going to make it much worse. Each will dig in deep for their districts, which is ok, but there are too many. For one I am very happy Mr. Moss lost. He will run for Mayor though, and this is one family that will not vote for him, ever. All our taxes went up for a few flood projects that will do nothing.
I am really tired of the waist in our City resources and our money. Something in the water is already being funded and we have no vote on it. We do not have representative governmnet any longer. Hotel Owners make out big. For the record I voted for Mr. Mauch. This ruling class party stakeholder politics is out of hand. The represent the party not the citizens. Mr. Mauch stayed above all of that. But I am comfortable with Mrs. Henley.
Mrs. Rouse is just plain wrong when she stridently proclaims that this new voting system is responsible for the representation of African Americans at 36.36% (4 of 11 seats) on City Council. For starters, her husband, Mr. Rouse, was duly elected under the old system, and via pseudo-incumbency, Mrs. Rouse was always expected to succeed him. Ms. Wooten was also elected under the old system. Ms. Miles was actually appointed by Council to fill the seat vacated by Mr. Jones. Finally, Mr. Taylor was elected in a wealthy, majority white district loosely encompassing Kings Grant and Great Neck.