VIRGINIA BEACH — First-time candidate Melissa Peck is running against City Councilmember Rocky Holcomb in the special election in the newly created District 1.
Holcomb, a chief deputy in the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office and a former state delegate, was appointed in August to the Kempsville District seat on the City Council following the resignation of former Councilmember Jessica Abbott.
In March, Holcomb confirmed that he is running to represent District 1 under the new 10-district local voting system. A Circuit Court judge ordered a special election, and the winner would complete a term of office originally begun by Abbott.
“I am laser focused on providing the very best constituent services for the residents of District 1,” Holcomb said on Tuesday, June 28. “I hope they can find it in their hearts to support me for continuing to serve them in City Council.”
Peck on Tuesday, June 28, said she decided to challenge Holcomb this year to give district voters a choice. The shift to district voting influenced her decision.
“Running in a district race is more approachable than running citywide is to someone like me,” she said. “I don’t think it would have been approachable or something I could have done if it was citywide.”
Under the former system, even voters outside a residency district chose representation for those seats, meaning candidates needed to reach all city voters. Now, only voters in a district select its representative.
“I think council will benefit from new perspectives and somebody like me,” said Peck, who is part of a military family and a transplant to the area. “My husband and I decided to make this our home.”
Peck described herself as a lifelong volunteer. She has been involved in Democratic politics locally, including leadership roles, and is completing her master’s degree in library and information sciences.
Due to her husband’s career, the family moved around and were first stationed here in 2008.
The Salem Lakes area of Virginia Beach is home, but Peck said she is concerned young people, including her children, do not view the city that way.
“My high schoolers talk about graduating college, and it doesn’t even occur to them to come back to Virginia Beach,” Peck said.
Priorities include addressing flooding and transportation in a place where many commute and need interstate access.
“We’ve definitely seen how traffic solutions and historic preservation can be done in tandem,” Peck said. “I think we can do more of that.”
She said the city could try simple solutions such as improved timing for lights to address some traffic issues.
“I think we as a city could do a little better with strategic development rather than development in mass,” Peck said. “Our representatives could do a better job of communicating with residents in immediate impact areas prior to making a decision.”
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