2016 Richmond, Virginia mayoral election

The Richmond, Virginia mayoral election of 2016 took place on November 8, 2016. Voters elected the Mayor of Richmond, Virginia, members of the Richmond City Council, as well as several other local officials. In an officially nonpartisan, three-way race, Levar Stoney, the former state Secretary of the Commonwealth defeated Jack Berry, former Hanover County Administrator, and Joe Morrissey, former delegate of the Virginia House of Delegates. Former councilperson, Michelle Mosby, finished in a distant third. On January 1, 2017, Stoney took office as the 80th mayor of Richmond, Virginia.

2016 Richmond mayoral election
November 8, 2016 (2016-11-08)
 
Nominee Levar Stoney Jack Berry
Party Democratic Democratic
Popular vote 35,525 33,447
Percentage 35.64% 33.56%
 
Nominee Joe Morrissey Michelle Mosby
Party Independent Democratic
Popular vote 20,995 5,792
Percentage 21.06% 5.81%
Mayor before election

Dwight Jones
Democratic

 Elected Mayor

Levar Stoney
Democratic

Elections in Virginia
Federal government
U.S. President
U.S. Senate
U.S. House
State government
Governor
Lieutenant Governor
Attorney General
House of Delegates
Senate
Other
Ballot measures
2016 (Fairfax County)
Alexandria
Mayor
Chesapeake
Mayor
Hampton
Mayor
Norfolk
Mayor
Richmond
Mayor
City Council
Virginia Beach
Mayor
City Council

In the Richmond mayoral election, in addition to winning the popular vote, mayoral candidates must win the popular vote in five of the nine city districts. Stoney was able to achieve a majority of the popular vote, receiving 35,525 votes, in addition to winning five city districts, compared to three won by Berry and one won by Morrissey. The night of November 8, the Morrissey campaign conceded to Berry and Stoney,[1] and Berry's campaign conceded to Stoney the following day, when provisional and absentee ballots still had Stoney in the lead.[2]

At the age of 35, Stoney became the youngest politician to ever be elected as the Mayor of Richmond. On November 12, 2016 the Stoney campaign began the transition team between his administration, and Jones' departing administration.

Background

Incumbent Democrat Dwight C. Jones was ineligible to seek re-election due to mayoral term limits. The election was the fourth citywide election for mayor through popular vote. The election is nonpartisan meaning no candidate can be affiliated with any party on the ticket.

Candidates

Declared
  • Jon Baliles, 1st District City Councilman and former City Planner for Richmond[3]
  • Jack Berry, Venture Richmond director and former Hanover County administrator[4]
  • Bobby Junes, retired real estate consultant[5][6]
  • Joe Morrissey, former State Delegate and former Richmond Commonwealth's Attorney[7]
  • Michelle Mosby, President of the Richmond City Council[8]
  • Levar Stoney, former Secretary of the Commonwealth of Virginia[9]
  • Bruce Tyler, former Richmond City Councilman and 2015 Republican State Senate candidate (withdrew September 27, but will remain on the ballot)[10][11]
  • Lawrence E. Williams, architect and candidate for Mayor in 2004 and 2008[12][13]

Withdrawn
  • Mike Dickinson, strip club owner and perennial candidate[14][15]
  • Lillie Estes, community strategist, former substitute teacher and former member of the Richmond Anti-Poverty Commission[16][17]
  • Brad Froman, businessman and write-in candidate for U.S. Senate in 2014[5][18][19]
  • L. Shirley Harvey, former Richmond City Councilwoman and perennial candidate[5][20]
  • Chad Ingold, teacher at Richmond City Public Schools[20][21][22]
  • Nate Peterson, medical administrator[20][23]
  • Amon Rayford[20]
  • Chuck Richardson, former Richmond City Councilman[14][24]
  • Alan Schintzius, carpenter and former Occupy Richmond activist[20][25]
  • Rick Tatnall, community activist and candidate in 2012[22][26][27]

Declined
  • Jeff Bourne, Chairman of the Richmond School Board (running for re-election)[28]
  • Chris Hilbert, 3rd District City Councilman (running for re-election)[29]
  • Delores McQuinn, State Delegate and former Richmond City Councilwoman[30][31]
  • Charles Samuels, Richmond City Councilman[30]

Endorsements
Jon Baliles
Media
Jack Berry
Individuals
  • Viola Baskerville, former State Delegate and former Richmond City Councilwoman[34]
  • Bill Johnson, former Richmond City Council member
  • Ted Ukrop, of the Ukrop's, a local grocery chain in the region.
Organizations
  • Richmond Association of Realtors[35]
Levar Stoney
Individuals
Organizations
  • Home Building Association of Richmond[41]
  • Richmond City Democratic Committee[42]
  • Richmond Education Association[43]
  • SEIU[44]

Polling

Early polling has suggested that Joe Morrissey is the front-runner in the mayoral election, followed by Jack Berry.[45]

Poll source Date(s) administered Sample size Margin of error Jon Baliles Jack Berry Joe Morrissey Michelle Mosby Levar Stoney Bruce Tyler Other/Undecided
CNU[45] August 24 – 30, 2016 600 ±4.9% 9% 16% 28% 10% 7% 4% 18%
American Strategies[46][47] September 17 – 21, 2016 600 ±4.0% 12% 25% 29% 7% 14% — 11%

Results
Richmond mayoral election, 2016[48]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Levar Stoney 35,525 35.64
Democratic Jack Berry 33,447 33.56
Independent Joe Morrissey 20,995 21.06
Democratic Michelle Mosby 5,792 5.81
Democratic Jon Baliles (Withdrew) 2,230 2.24
Independent Lawrence Williams 543 0.54
Republican Bruce Tyler (Withdrew) 500 0.50
Independent Bobby Junes (Withdrew) 381 0.38
Write-in 255 0.26
Total votes 99,668 100
Democratic hold

See also

References
  1. Freeman, Jr., Vernon (November 8, 2016). "Joe Morrissey concedes Richmond mayoral race". CBS6. WTVR. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  2. Robinson, Mark. "Field Notes: Berry Concedes". Richmond Magazine. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  3. Dickerson, Trevor (April 5, 2016). "City Councilman Jon Baliles joins race for Richmond mayor". RVA News. RVANews.com. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  4. Oliver, Ned (April 5, 2016). "Venture Richmond Director Jack Berry declares he's running for mayor". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Richmond.com. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  5. Oliver, Ned (May 6, 2016). "There are now 16 candidates running for mayor of Richmond; none yet finalized for ballot". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  6. Mattingly, Justin (July 9, 2016). "Junes says he will work 'to get the city back on track'". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  7. Robinson, Mark (March 31, 2016). "Field Notes: Morrissey In". Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  8. Moomaw, Graham (August 17, 2015). "Mosby confirms she's running for mayor". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  9. Small, Leah (April 21, 2016). "Holdout Candidate Levar Stoney Joins Crowded Race for Richmond Mayor". Style Weekly. StyleWeekly.com. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  10. Zullo, Robert (March 24, 2016). "Former Richmond councilman Bruce Tyler will run for mayor". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  11. Oliver, Ned (September 27, 2016). "Former Councilman Bruce Tyler drops out of Richmond mayoral race; cites concerns about Morrissey victory". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  12. Oliver, Ned (April 2, 2016). "Two more candidates enter Richmond mayoral race and another drops out ahead of first forum". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  13. Murden, John (April 3, 2016). "Williams making 3rd bid for mayor". Church Hill People's News. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  14. Oliver, Ned (May 19, 2016). "Ex-councilman Chuck Richardson, Richmond strip club owner enter mayoral race". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  15. Oliver, Ned (June 14, 2016). "Richmond mayoral race down to 13 candidates after filing deadline". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  16. Murden, John (July 31, 2015). "Lillie A. Estes announces bid for mayor". Church Hill People's News. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  17. Estes, Lillie (June 10, 2016). "Today, after giving much thought, prayer and consideration, I have decided NOT to continue my candidacy for mayor for the city of Richmond, Virginia". Facebook. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  18. Robinson, Mark (April 4, 2016). "Field Notes: Come One, Come All". Richmond Magazine. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  19. Froman, Brad (June 13, 2016). "Brad Froman Suspends Campaign for Richmond Mayor". Facebook. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  20. Oliver, Ned (June 22, 2016). "Five mayoral candidates fail to meet ballot requirements; Tichi Pinkney Eppes disqualified for School Board". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  21. Murden, John (February 12, 2016). "Ingold collecting signatures to run for Mayor". Church Hill People's News. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  22. Robinson, Mark (February 18, 2016). "Field Notes: More in the Mix". Richmond Magazine. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  23. Robinson, Mark (April 18, 2016). "Field Notes: Domain Wars". Richmond Magazine. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  24. Oliver, Ned (June 13, 2016). "Ex-Richmond councilman Chuck Richardson drops out of mayoral race". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  25. Small, Leah (March 29, 2016). "Former Occupy Richmond Activist Alan Schintzius Enters Mayoral Race". Scrum Blog. Style Weekly. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  26. "Rick Tatnall makes run for Richmond mayor official". WRIC-TV. April 14, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  27. Robinson, Mark (May 20, 2016). "Field Notes: Tatnall Drops Mayoral Bid". Richmond Magazine. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  28. Robinson, Mark (March 29, 2016). "Field Notes: Bourne's Decision". Richmond Magazine. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  29. Small, Leah. "Chris Hilbert Decides Against Richmond Mayoral Run". Style Weekly. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  30. Lazarus, Jeremy (May 1, 2015). "Samuels to run for mayor?". Richmond Free Press. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  31. Robinson, Mark (November 3, 2015). "Mayorology 2016: Let the Elbowing Begin". Richmond Magazine. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  32. Kutner, Brad (September 20, 2016). "RVA Magazine endorses Jon Baliles for Mayor of Richmond". RVA Magazine. Archived from the original on September 24, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  33. "Students for Bernie VCU endorses Jon Baliles for Mayor of Richmond". Our Revolution RVA. orrva.com. June 24, 2016. Archived from the original on December 7, 2017. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
  34. Robinson, Mark (August 18, 2016). "Field Notes: Baskerville for Berry". Richmond Magazine. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  35. Oliver, Ned (September 10, 2016). "Richmond Association of Realtors endorses Berry for mayor". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  36. Robinson, Mark (October 10, 2016). "Field Notes: Holton Endorses Stoney". Richmond Magazine. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  37. Hylton, David (September 13, 2016). "McAuliffe endorses Stoney for Richmond mayor". WWBT. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  38. "McClellan endorses Stoney in Richmond mayoral race". Richmond Times-Dispatch. August 24, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  39. Solomon, Brent (October 3, 2016). "Richmond Mayoral race heats up with new endorsements, criticism of other ones". WWBT. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  40. Hylton, David (September 9, 2016). "Levar Stoney picks up key endorsement". WWBT. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  41. Oliver, Ned (August 17, 2016). "Home builders group endorses Stoney in Richmond mayoral race". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  42. Oliver, Ned (September 8, 2016). "Richmond Democrats vote to endorse Levar Stoney for mayor". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  43. Oliver, Ned (September 14, 2016). "Richmond teachers union endorses Stoney in mayoral race". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  44. Robinson, Mark (August 15, 2016). "Field Notes: Labor Union Backs Stoney". Richmond Magazine. Retrieved October 6, 2016.
  45. "Morrissey leads crowded contest for Richmond mayor; voters sour on current City Council and School Board" (PDF). Christopher Newport University. The Judy Ford Wason Center for Public Policy. August 30, 2016.
  46. Oliver, Ned. "Realtors' poll shows Morrissey still has lead, but Berry and Stoney gaining ground". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Richmond.com. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
  47. Poll conducted on behalf of the Richmond Association of Realtors, which has endorsed Jack Berry
  48. "Citywide Election Results, 2016". Richmond, Virginia Government. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
Official campaign websites
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