Voter guide · Nov 3, 2026

Virginia Beach City Council Election 2026

6 of 11

council seats up

6 contests

12 candidates

Updated Oct 2, 2026. Every claim links to its source. How we check →

The candidates

Listed alphabetically by last name. Every position links to its source.

City Council District 2 · 1 seat

Jeff L. BruzzesiBusiness owner who has owned and operated Closet Factory since 2003; has lived in Sandbridge since 1985. Has been involved with local and state home builders associations.6sourced
K. Elaine L. FeketeSmall-business owner and former corporate executive; has served as president of the Sandbridge Beach Civic League.7sourced
Barbara M. HenleyIncumbentDistrict 2 council member, term ends Dec. 31, 20265sourced

City Council District 4 · 1 seat

City Council District 6 · 1 seat

City Council District 8 · 1 seat

City Council District 9 · 1 seat

City Council District 10 · Unopposed

Jennifer Valentine RouseIncumbentDistrict 10 council member, term ends Dec. 31, 20265sourced

Six of the 11 council seats are on this ballot: Districts 2, 4, 6, 8, 9 and 10. Each is one seat, and only voters who live in that district vote for it. The mayor is not up until 2028.

2 notes on these statements

Twelve candidates, including six incumbents, are on the ballot for the six district seats. The Virginian-Pilot · Sep 22, 2026

The sale of Virginia Beach National needed at least nine votes of the 11-member council. WHRO · Aug 11, 2026

Already on the council, not on the ballot

Whoever you elect will govern alongside these members.

Michael BerlucchiDistrict 3 council member, term ends Dec. 31, 2028bio only Robert M. "Bobby" DyerMayor, term ends Dec. 31, 20282sourced David HutchesonDistrict 1 council member, term ends Dec. 31, 2028bio only Cal "Cash" Jackson-GreenDistrict 7 council member, term ends Dec. 31, 20281sourced Rosemary WilsonDistrict 5 council member, term ends Dec. 31, 2028bio only

Start here

Match quiz7 questions · answers stay on your phone Seat the CouncilPick winners, see the council What council decidesTaxes and the budget, The Green Line and growth, Data centers Key datesDeadlines and vote centers

Next date

Voter registration and vote-by-mail application deadline

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

All key dates

What the next council decides

Taxes and the budget

Where it standsThe FY 2026-27 budget kept the real estate tax rate at 97 cents per $100 and the meals tax unchanged, with a personal property tax credit of up to $80 per vehicle.

What's on the tableThe next council writes the FY 2027-28 budget and sets the real estate and meals tax rates.

The City Council adopted the FY 2026-27 budget on May 12, 2026, by a vote of 11 to 0. City of Virginia Beach · May 12, 2026
The real estate tax rate stayed at 97 cents per $100 of assessed value, which equals $8.5 million per penny. The Virginian-Pilot · May 13, 2026
Home assessments rose by an average of around 6 percent. WTKR · May 13, 2026
The meals tax stayed at 6% despite requests from restaurants to lower it; cutting it to 3.5% would have cut revenue by about $48 million. The Virginian-Pilot · May 13, 2026

The Green Line and growth

Where it standsThe council adopted the imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan in April 2026; it keeps the Green Line growth boundary and directs growth to centers north of it.

What's on the tableThe council will vote on rezonings and plans for land below the Green Line, including the Interfacility Traffic Area (ITA).

In April 2026, City Council adopted the imagineVB 2040 Comprehensive Plan. City of Virginia Beach Planning
The plan calls for continuing the Green Line and Blue Line. City of Virginia Beach Planning
A draft ITA plan includes a long-range plan to build athletic facilities and develop industrial parks below the Green Line. The Virginian-Pilot · May 13, 2026

Data centers

Where it standsA 12-month moratorium on new data center permits is in effect while the city writes rules.

What's on the tableThe council will decide what zoning rules, if any, will allow data centers once the moratorium ends.

In August 2026, the City Council unanimously approved a year-long pause on new data center applications. WTKR · Aug 18, 2026
The pause lasts 12 months or until an ordinance regulating data centers is in place. WTKR · Aug 18, 2026
Virginia Beach does not currently have any large-scale data centers. The Virginian-Pilot · Aug 19, 2026

Oceanfront safety

Where it standsAfter two shootings this spring, the council adopted a temporary all-ages curfew; a court paused its final night.

What's on the tableThe council will decide how to handle large gatherings and youth safety at the Oceanfront in future seasons.

In April 2026, the council voted 10-1 for a 9:30 p.m. all-ages Oceanfront curfew on Friday and Saturday nights that weekend and on Friday, April 24. WAVY · Apr 16, 2026
The Virginia Beach Circuit Court issued a temporary restraining order pausing enforcement of the April 24 all-ages curfew. City of Virginia Beach · Apr 23, 2026
The existing 7 p.m. unaccompanied minor curfew at the Oceanfront remained in effect. City of Virginia Beach · Apr 23, 2026

Virginia Beach National and housing

Where it standsThe council voted 9-2 in August 2026 to sell the city-owned Virginia Beach National Golf Club to Dragas Companies for redevelopment.

What's on the tableThe redevelopment still needs council votes on rezoning and conditional use permits.

The sale vote was 9-2, with Henley and Remick voting no; it passed with exactly the number of votes needed. 13News Now · Aug 11, 2026
The redevelopment project will still require council approval of the rezoning and conditional use permits. The Virginian-Pilot · Aug 11, 2026
The council backed a resolution requiring the developer to commit to a number of affordable housing units before seeking housing approvals. WHRO · Aug 11, 2026
The city's Attainable Workforce Housing Performance Grant has approved applications for three developments with 552 new affordable rental units, as of July 2026. City of Virginia Beach Housing & Neighborhood Preservation: Opening Doors

Who matches you?

Answer any of these questions. We compare your answers with each person's sourced record, and nothing is stored. Questions where no one has a sourced record yet are left out. Tap a selected answer again to skip it.

1. As home assessments rise, what should the city do with the real estate tax rate?
2. Should the city cut its 6% meals tax?
3. Should the city allow new housing or industrial development below the Green Line?
4. What should the city do about large data centers?
5. Should the city use temporary all-ages curfews at the Oceanfront after violence?
6. Should the city have sold Virginia Beach National Golf Club to a developer?
7. Should the city use tax incentives to encourage workforce housing?

Seat the Council →

Pick a winner for each open seat and see where the resulting council stands on each issue.

Key dates

Early in-person voting beginsVirginia Beach Voter Registration & ElectionsSep 18, 2026
Voter registration and vote-by-mail application deadlineVirginia Beach Voter Registration & Elections: Upcoming ElectionOct 23, 2026
Last day of in-person early votingVirginia Beach Voter Registration & Elections: Upcoming ElectionOct 31, 2026
Election DayVirginia Beach Voter Registration & Elections: Upcoming ElectionNov 3, 2026

The seat math

5 stay (not up this year): Michael Berlucchi, Robert M. "Bobby" Dyer, David Hutcheson, Cal "Cash" Jackson-Green, Rosemary Wilson6 on this ballot

11 council seats. The council decides by a 6-vote majority.

The City Council has 11 members: the mayor and 10 members elected by district. City of Virginia Beach, Office of the City Clerk: City Council Members
Council members serve four-year terms on a staggered basis. City of Virginia Beach, Office of the City Clerk: City Council Members
Since the November 2022 election, residents vote only for the council candidate in their own district; all residents vote for the mayor. City of Virginia Beach, Office of the City Clerk: City Council Members
The next mayoral election is in 2028. City of Virginia Beach, Office of the City Clerk: City Council Members
Voters in City Council Districts 2, 4, 6, 8, 9 and 10 choose a council member on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot. Virginia Beach Voter Registration & Elections: Sample Ballot Guide
All six district incumbents are running for re-election; District 10's Jennifer Rouse is unopposed. The Virginian-Pilot · Oct 1, 2026
Virginia Beach operates under the council-manager form of government. City of Virginia Beach, Office of the City Clerk: City Council Members

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