A short history of mayoral elections in Richmond

As we get ready to elect our 20th popularly elected mayor and the 4th since moving to the current system, let’s take a moment to look at how we got here.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

To win outright, a candidate needs to win a plurality of the vote in 5 of the 9 districts. If nobody wins 5 districts, the 2 candidates receiving the most votes go to a run-off – regardless of if they won ANY districts.

WHY IS IT LIKE THIS?

Richmond moved to this scheme in 2004 with the switch back to having a popularly elected mayor. Having a strong mayor from outside of City Council was seen as an antidote to corruption scandals in previous decades. The requirement that the winner take 5 of 9 districts is seen as preventing a candidate winning the city with only the support from wealthier and whiter districts.

For the first almost 70 years, the mayor was appointed by a group of 12 men who were elected from the city at-large. The city switched to popular election of the mayor in 1851, with 16 popularly elected mayors after this (1853–1948). Richmond returned to appointed mayors from 1948–2005, with the mayor selected by and from City Council.

Under this set up, Richmond’s first female mayor, Eleanor Sheppard, served from July 1, 1962 to June 30, 1964, and the city’s first Black mayor, Henry Marsh, served from March 8, 1977 to June 30, 1982. Current U.S. Senator Tim Kaine served as Richmond’s mayor from July 1, 1998 to September 10, 2001.

While still under the council appointed system in 1970, Richmond annexed 23 square miles of Chesterfield County with approximately 47,000 mostly white voters to head off a Black majority taking over City Council. Legal wrangling over this paused elections in the city until 1977, and directly led to the 9 district system for electing City Council that is in place today. Prior to this all City Council members were elected at-large from across the entire city.

ELECTION 2004

In the first election under the current system, former governor Doug Wilder took all 9 districts, winning 79% of the 72,460 votes cast. He served one term and there is a book about it.

According to VPAP, Wilder raised $277,897, with the next closest candidate being 3rd place finisher Charles Nance at $63,676 and 8.4%

ELECTION 2008

Dwight Jones won with 39% of the votes cast in a 5-way race, spending $460,361. William Pantele came in 2nd 33% ($404,939), Robert Grey 3rd with 21% ($500,234).

DISTRICTS
1st – Pantele
2nd – Pantele
3rd – Pantele
4th – Pantele
5th – Jones
6th – Jones
7th – Jones
8th – Jones
9th – Jones

ELECTION 2012

Dwight Jones won reelection handily in a 2-way race, with 73% of the vote and taking all nine districts.

Jones raised $314,499, his opponent only $4,111.

ELECTION 2016

Levar Stoney won outright with 36% of the vote in a contest that seemed bound for a runoff. Jack Berry came in 2nd with 34%. Current candidate Michelle Mosby claimed 4th place with 6% of the vote.

Joe Morrissey was leading in polls less than 3 weeks before the election, across a field that at one point had 16 different candidates. As late as September 20th of that year, eventual winner Levar Stoney was polling in 5th place at 7%.

This was the first mayoral contest to cross the million dollar mark, with Jack Berry pulling in $1,188,663. Stoney raised $913,703.

DISTRICTS
1st – Berry
2nd – Stoney
3rd – Stoney
4th – Berry
5th – Stoney
6th – Stoney
7th – Stoney
8th – Morrissey
9th – Morrissey

ELECTION 2020

In the election following the spring and summer protests along Monument Avenue and the ensuing removal of a number of the monuments, Levar Stoney won 38% of the 109,086 votes cast and took 6 of 9 districts. Alexsis Rodgers running to his left came in second (2 districts & 26% of the vote), and 2nd District representative Kim Gray came in 3rd (1 district & 26%).

Stoney spent $1,141,122, with Rodgers next up at $456,405.

DISTRICTS
1st – Gray
2nd – Rodgers
3rd – Stoney
4th – Stoney
5th – Rodgers
6th – Stoney
7th – Stoney
8th – Stoney
9th – Stoney

 
IMAGE via VPAP