I stand in support of HB 187 to change the Charter of the City of Virginia Beach. Virginia Beach city council members, the governing body of our city, were involved in the acceptance of the 10-member district system. The city council worked directly with the Special Master and all of the sitting council members district seats remained intact by their direct input to the redrawing of the district lines. In compliance with the U.S. Constitution, that requires a U.S. Census takes place every 10 years, the new district were drawn and accepted by council. The city also allowed the citizenry to give their direct input by contracting the UVA Weldon Cooper Center to do a citywide survey. 81% of the citizenry supported the 10-1 voting system. Finally, the city placed the Referendum on the 2025 ballot and once again the citizenry fully supported the 10-1 system. It is time to stop spending money tax dollars and change the Charter. The people of Virginia Beach have spoken. The City Council voted to change the Charter and our legislators should fully support the will of the people of Virginia Beach and the Vote of the City Council members.

The League of Women Voters supports HB 187. In a 2025 election, the voters of Virginia Beach, by a solid majority, approved updating the city charter to reflect the existing 10-1 district system. The single district system ensures fair, equal, and accountable representation to all citizens in all areas of the City of Virginia Beach, and has been successfully used since 2022. The League recommends that the city charter be updated without further delay.

Virginia Beach voters have used this district system, called 10-1, through two elections and are familiar with how it works. Virginia Beach voters overwhelmingly approve of the 10-1 district system, most recently in a 2025 referendum. This district system ensures that all Virginia Beach communities have a representative on the city council and on the school board and the representatives feel accountable to their district. The district system results in fair, equal, accountable representation. The 10 districts are small enough to lower the cost of campaigning and encourage more people to run for office, giving voters more choice. This is extremely important to me.

I worked the polls this last election and encouraged voters to support the 10-1 districts. The voters overwhelmingly chose 10-1 as they realized they'd have a voice in elections rather than giving the power to a handful of wealthy individuals who basically support each other.

Please vote to pass HB187. The citizens of Virginia Beach voted overwhelmingly for the 10-1 system in the November election and have used this system since 2022. This system allows better representation across our city and also makes it possible to have an affordable race as each district is smaller and there would be no at large seats. There was a time, when we had the 7-3 system, that 4 of our school board members lived with one mile of each other at the north end of the city. That is not equal representation. Thank you.

I am a voter in Virginia Beach writing in support of HB187 which will finally update our city charter to reflect the 10 district election system for our city council and school board. It has been called the 10-1 system because the mayor is elected by the whole city. Virginia Beach voters have repeatedly and overwhelmingly supported this 10-1 district system through both community engagement by UVA’s Weldon Cooper Center and then a city-wide referendum in 2025. City voters have used the 10-1 district system in two elections since 2022 so we are responding from experience. I believe the district system ensures fair, equal, accountable representation, and lowers the cost of campaigning for office. It is long past time to have this fair voting system codified in law.  Please vote for HB187 Virginia Beach, City of; amending charter, transition to a city council.