RICHMOND — A bill introduced in the House of Delegates aims to untangle the knot of uncertainty about what court-ordered changes to Virginia Beach’s local election system means for the city School Board.
The bill could mean temporarily increasing the number of members of the Virginia Beach board, its author said in Richmond this week.
State Del. Glenn Davis, R-84th House District, introduced the measure that aims to ensure incumbents can finish the terms to which they were elected under the old system, even if that doesn’t line up with the new districts. During an interview in Richmond on Tuesday, Jan. 25, Davis told The Independent News the bill has two main goals.
“It’s to balance the voters’ decision with respect with who these School Board members should be to represent them over the next four years,” he said, “and to also ensure that all new districts have a representative that those residents can hold accountable.”
A federal judge in December ordered the implementation of a new 10-district local voting system in Virginia Beach, upending the controversial mix of at-large and seven district seats used in the city for decades. Though the city is appealing the decision, the new system is expected to be in place for local elections on the ballot in November.
The new district system considered residences of members of the City Council, but the School Board was not a party to the suit – and the court-appointed expert who designed the new districts did not consider where they live. The result is eight out of the 11 School Board members are sharing districts with colleagues, including four members who reside within the new District 9.
Those in District 9 are School Board Members Dottie Holtz, Laura Hughes, Vicky Manning and Carolyn Weems. Weems was elected to represent the Bayside District, while Holtz, Hughes and Manning were elected to at-large seats on the board.
Other paired School Board members include Kim Melnyk, who has represented the Princess Anne District, and Trenace Riggs of the old Centerville District in the new District 2. Beverly Anderson, who has held an at-large seat, and Sharon Felton, who represented the Beach District, are in District 6.
All of the districts with multiple School Board members living within them are scheduled to be on the ballot this year.
Davis’ bill [HB1031] would amend the code so the impacts of court-ordered redistricting plans are considered so officials can complete their original terms regardless of their loss of residency. And the bill could provide for an additional member of the board who is at-large with an equal increase in the number of board members.
School Board and City Council elections are supposed to mirror each other, but the School Board does not directly elect its chairperson the way the mayor is directly elected to the City Council. There could be an at-large seat on the board, but a presentation earlier this month by the city attorney’s office put that possible race on the 2024 ballot.
“This would allow every member who is elected to serve through 2024 to have the option to continue serving through 2024, but also ensure that every district that does not have a resident School Board member has a resident School Board member who resides in that district that can be held accountable by the residents of that district,” Davis said.
Even if there’s more than 11 School Board members?
“It could be,” Davis said. “For a period of time, we could see potentially a minor increase. … That’s what the language is going to allow.”
Davis said the end result for Virginia Beach has a lot to do with what the members who are now paired in districts want to do. If their new district is on the ballot this year and they want to serve past 2024, they might need to run this year.
“It’s just a big mess,” Weems said on Tuesday, Jan. 18, in Virginia Beach. She plans to run in the District 9, and her campaign has filed nominating petitions for that office, according to the local registrar.
“The 9th seems to be my neck of the woods,” Weems said. “We’ll just have to wait and see.”
Hughes has filed petitions to run for an at-large seat, though it is uncertain an at-large seat will be on the ballot this year.
Hughes said there should be an at-large seat.
“There are 10 districts and one at-large seat,” she said.
Riggs, paired with Melynk, would have faced reelection in two years in the former Centerville District. Now she would likely need to run in District 2, which includes the main coverage area of The Independent News. But she said she will not do so. “I’m not going to run against Kim,” Riggs said.
Also speaking on Tuesday, Jan. 18, in Virginia Beach, School Board Chairperson Carolyn Rye said the board is still consulting with its counsel about addressing the challenges. On Friday, Jan. 28, Rye added that the board continues to be guided by the court order and Virginia law about its new districts, election cycles and the size of the board.
As of Thursday, Jan. 27, the bill had been referred to the House Privileges and Elections Committee. Davis’ office said the delegate has asked to fast-track the bill.
The School Board is scheduled to discuss district voting on Tuesday, Feb. 1, and consider a draft resolution to keep its districts and elections consistent with those of corresponding Virginia Beach City Council elections while complying with the court decision.
The resolution also would add one at-large seat to the board, which would correspond, effectively, to the at-large election of the mayor.
© 2022 Pungo Publishing Co., LLC
