VPM News sent a questionnaire to every candidate running to fill one of the nine seats on Richmond City Council. The questions were chosen to gauge candidates' key priorities both for their districts and for the city as a whole.
These are the six questions sent to the candidates:
- What does your district need most right now — and how will you help?
- How will you engage your constituents on policy issues?
- What's your top citywide priority?
- How can you help restore trust in the city and its services?
- What steps can council take to ensure more affordable housing — not just publicly subsidized housing — is accessible to residents?
- What's your perspective on term limits for council representatives?
For responses from the candidates, scroll down or click on a specific district.
1st District | 2nd District | 3rd District | 4th District | 5th District | 6th District | 7th District | 8th District | 9th District
1st District
"RPS dad" and data analyst Andrew "Gumby" Breton, longtime Democratic strategist Paul Goldman and Dominion Energy account manager Zac Walker are running for the seat currently occupied by mayoral candidate Andreas Addison.
Read full responses from 1st District candidates here.
2nd District
Incumbent Councilor Katherine Jordan is running unopposed.
After multiple requests via email, Jordan’s liaison told VPM News that she would not be submitting responses.
3rd District
City Council Vice President Ann-Frances Lambert is running against Richmond School Board member Kenya Gibson and small business owner Maria Carra Rose.
Read full responses from 3rd District candidates here.
4th District
Sarah Abubaker, director of strategic communications at Collegiate School in Richmond, is running unopposed. She has been endorsed by outgoing 4th District representative and current City Council President Kristen Nye.
Read Abubaker's responses here.
5th District
Stephanie Lynch, who has served on council since winning a special election in 2019, is running unopposed.
6th District
Ellen Robertson, the council's longest-serving member, is running for re-election against Tavares Floyd — her former council liaison — and barber and community organizer Willie Hilliard.
Read full responses from 6th District candidates here.
7th District
Incumbent Cynthia Newbille, who has held a seat on the council since 2009, is running against Eric Sundberg, a graphic designer and former chief of staff to Del. Joshua Cole. Newbille didn’t respond to multiple email requests for responses to VPM News' council candidate questionnaire.
Read full responses from Sundberg here.
8th District
Councilor Reva Trammell is running against Frank Wilson Jr., who worked for State Farm for over 30 years before spending two years as a magistrate at the Supreme Court of Virginia.
Read full responses from 8th District candidates here.
9th District
Nicole Jones, who was appointed to council in 2024, is running against community advocate Stephanie Starling.
Read full responses from 9th District candidates here.
