The candidates running to be Richmond's next mayor
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Richmond voters will elect their next mayor in November.
Why it matters: It's the top position in city government.
The big picture: A mayoral candidate has to win five of the nine City Council districts to be elected.
- If no one does, the top two candidates head to a runoff election in December.
Flashback: Garrett Sawyer initially launched a mayoral campaign then went for the 4th District council seat before going for School Board.
- After School Board member Jonathan Young resigned, the board appointed Sawyer to the position.
- Bridgette Whitaker, a housing advocate who has worked with Blessing Warriors RVA previously filed to run but didn't qualify for the ballot by the June 18 deadline.
Fun fact: Richmond hasn't had a non-Black mayor since Sen. Tim Kaine over 20 years ago. The city has also never had a Black woman mayor.
- That could change with this election.
These are the five candidates you'll see on the November ballot, in alphabetical order.
Andreas Addison
Addison worked in City Hall for eight years and has represented the 1st District on City Council since 2017. He's focused on safer streets for cyclists and pedestrians and improving public transportation.
Key issues per his site:
- Neighborhoods centered around safety, transit, walkability, green spaces and small businesses.
- Closing the life expectancy gap impacting Black and lower-income residents.
- Deliver quality education, health care access and economic stability.
Danny Avula
Avula is the former commissioner of the Department of Social Services who led Virginia's COVID vaccination campaign under Gov. Northam and was the director of Richmond and Henrico's health districts.
- It's his first time running for political office.
Key issues per his site:
- Investing in schools.
- Keeping City Hall accountable.
- Making neighborhoods safer, walkable and bikeable and more climate-resilient.
Michelle Mosby
Mosby was the first Black woman to serve as City Council president in 2015 and represented the 9th District until running for mayor in 2016.
- She's the founder of the Help Me Help You Foundation, which helps formerly incarcerated residents.
Key issues per her site:
- Create a team dedicated to expediting affordable housing projects.
- Secure funding for mental health crisis teams and to recruit new police officers.
- Review taxes and regulations that hurt the growth of businesses.
Maurice Neblett
Neblett is a Virginia Union graduate, former RPS student and a community organizer. It's his first time running for office.
Key issues per his site:
- Creating an online platform that breaks down the city's budget.
- Supporting independent oversight of law enforcement.
- Increased public school funding.
Harrison Roday
Roday is the founder of nonprofit Bridging Virginia, which provides loans to small business owners, and a former private equity executive. It's his first time running for office.
Key issues per his site:
- Creating a five-year plan to improve City Hall.
- Fixing "neglected infrastructure like sidewalks, roads, bike lanes, transit shelters, and our combined sewer overflow."
- Growing the supply of housing.
Go deeper:
Editor's note: This story has been updated with new additions, and to remove people who dropped out.