Richmond, meet your new elected officials

While several incumbents held off their respective challengers, both the City Council and School Board will welcome fresh faces…with one race still too close to call.

November 7, 2012; 9:12 AM • by RVANews staff

Several challengers usurped incumbents in yesterday’s local elections. As a result, both City Council and the School Board will have a mix of familiar and fresh faces presiding over local issues.

Here are yesterday’s winners, listed with total cast votes and winning voting percentage, and some comments after their win. Check our election results page for a more detailed look at the numbers.

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Mayor — Dwight Jones

• 76,258 votes (70%)

“Last night’s election was about moving the city forward together. The fact that we won in all nine districts suggest to me that this goal resonates evenly throughout the city. I also feel that the city spoke in a clear voice about the urgency of providing the highest quality education to our children.”

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City Council

District 1

• Too close to call between Bruce Tyler (incumbent; 6,159 votes) and Jon Baliles (6,183 votes)

Bruce Tyler said he will “not comment” until the results are finalized. His campaign has a worker overseeing the counting of provisional ballots. He does not know when that counting will be completed.

Jon Baliles said “We’re waiting to make sure the results are certified.” It’s expected that a decision will come tomorrow or Friday.

District 2 — Charles Samuels

• 5,179 votes (52%)

On winning:

“I’m honored & humbled by the faith the voters in the 2nd District have placed in me. My consensus-building approach appears to have resonated with the residents in the district.”

On goals:

“To continue building solutions from the ground up & to keep my campaign promises.

“Richmond is on the cusp of greatness but we have to address poverty, education & mass transit on a regional basis to get the City & the Richmond Region to the next level.”

District 3 — Chris Hilbert

• 8,037 votes (82%)

District 4 — Kathy Graziano

• 7,974 votes (67%)

On winning:

“I’ve been on Council for eight years.” She said a good working relationship with her constituents, fellow council members, and the Mayor’s administration have helped her. This willingness to establish consensus has been recognized by voters. “I just think people appreciate that.”

On goals:

“We need to continue to work collaboratively with the administration. I think a cohesive government works best.” However, she said neither Council nor the Mayor should run things exclusively, but in a cooperative manner.

She said that “high unemployment” in the city is something she would like to address in the near future. “We need to figure our where we can employ our people.”

District 5 — Parker Agelasto

• 4,995 votes (49%)

On winning:

“The feeling is relief.”

“I think people respected [my] effort to reach out and offer a hand.”

On goals:

“Currently, Richmond is very lenient on [delinquent] landlords,” who aren’t held to “much standard,” particularly blighted properties.

“I have been proposing for our communities to create an inventory of the homes that are vacant” to be shared with police for added patrols, as well as to the assessor’s office for potential legal repercussions.

District 6 — Ellen Robertson

• 7,153 votes (100%)

District 7 — Cynthia Newbille

• 8,608 votes (99%)

District 8 — Reva Trammell

• 4,933 votes (58%)

On winning:

 “I am proud to have been reelected.  I think my constituents have confidence in my abilities to represent them effectively.”

On goals:

“…to have active participation from Council members and being the check-and-balance on executive authority while seeking greater citizen input. After all, true representation means seeking constituents input and voting the will of the people.”

“…to make Richmond the #1 city to work, play, educate our children, and raise a family in America. I plan on completing these goals by encouraging citizens and our business communities involvement in every aspect of an open, transparent form of local government that makes decisions based on the will of the people and not the politicians’ egos and lobbyists’ influences.  It is time that the citizens and businesses are treated with dignity and respect as we work for all of Richmond.”

District 9 — Michelle Mosby

• 3,662 votes (64%)

Reaction to winning:

“I was excited. I was stunned. It was just great. Last night was a good night.”

On goals:

“I believe we need some sort of family life center… for our young people…give them some place to have some structure.”

“I want to see what we can do about [making] regional transportation” better for her constituents.

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School Board

District 1 — Glen Sturtevant

• 6,439 votes (57%)

Reaction to winning:

“It’s a positive sign that we are at a place now where we want real change in our schools for the better.”

Goals:

“To create a university partnership with Albert Hill Middle School and VCU.”

“Most importantly, we are working to ensure that our middle school is a viable option…so that 1st District families don’t feel that their only option is to move out the city or send their children to private schools.”

District 2 — Kimberly Gray

• 6,297 votes (67%)

Reaction to winning:

“I’m extremely honored to be re-elected, and I’m humbled by all the calls and comments. I think that our city wants better and deserves better for our kids, and they have spoken.”

Goals:

“To take care of teachers [i.e. pay, benefits, resources] who are on the front line with our kids. I think that’s the first order of business.”

District 3 — Jeff Bourne

• 6,584 votes (61%)

Reaction to winning:

“I am extremely humbled and honored. It’s clear that…parents in the community of Richmond want excellent schools. They obviously felt as thought the current school board was not meeting their expectations.”

On goals:

1) “increasing accountability” with schools and administration

2) improve middle schools

3) “build coalitions” with business community to develop technical programs

District 4

• Kristen Larson (new) • 3,929 votes (35%)

Reaction to winning:

“It was a very close race. We had five candidates, and I feel that in the end my door knocking really paid off.”

“I feel like I really connected with the young families in the 4th district. We don’t have a lot of folks over here who send their children to public schools.”

On goals:

“Middle schools is one of my top priorities.”

On the budget:

“I will be trying to get my hands on as many financial documents as possible [before her first board meeting] so that I’m ready and well-informed to put forth a balanced budget so that resources are not being wasted.

District 5 — Mamie Taylor

• 6,072 votes (62%)

District 6 — Shonda Harris-Muhammed

• 7,026 (99%)

On four goals she will push:

a) I am proposing to implement a School Board Task Force: The purpose of the School Board Task Force will be to ensure that all students, parents and employees have a direct support link (voice) between the School Board and the schools.

b) The ensure that recommendations from the community at large have been implemented to increase parental involvement in every school by 10% by the end of 2013-2014 school year.

c) To make recommendations about how to target additional resources to improve relations between the staff and students to decrease student discipline by 10% by the end of the 2014 school year.

d) to make recommendations about how to improve our athletic programs in every High School by the end of the 2014 school year.”

District 7 — Don Coleman

• 8,365 votes (99%)

District 8 — Derik Jones

• 4,797 votes (57%)

District 9 — Tichi Eppes

• 5,198 votes (99%)

November 7, 2012 9:12 AM 4