The list of mayoral candidates for Virginia's capital city continues to grow. Candidates for the 2024 at-large election must collect 500 signatures each and submit them to the state by April 4 to be eligible for the election.
Mayor Levar Stoney's two-term limit makes him ineligible to run again, though he already announced a bid for Virginia's top job (a race that takes place in November 2025) in December 2023.
Prospective candidates who have announced will be added to this alphabetical list once they either
- publicly announce their candidacy
- file the necessary paperwork with the state Department of Elections
When available, links to candidate websites and platforms will be included.
The list below will be updated as new information becomes available.
Andreas Addison
City Councilor Andreas Addison announced his mayoral candidacy on Feb. 21, 2024.
In a press release, Addison said he's running on “implementing progressive policies to move Richmond forward, governing for sustainable growth, focusing on meeting the basic needs of residents, and preventing displacement.”
Addison has represented Richmond's 1st District since 2017. He is the owner of Pure Fitness RVA in Scott’s Addition, as well as working as an adjunct professor at the University of Virginia's School of Public Policy.
Prior to his time on City Council, he worked in City Hall.
Danny Avula
Dr. Danny Avula has held many titles prior to announcing a mayoral run. He's served as a public health leader, including as Gov. Ralph Northam's COVID-19 vaccine coordinator, and as director of the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts.
Avula also was the former commissioner of the Virginia Department of Social Services, and is a practicing pediatric hospitalist at Chippenham Hospital; a role he will continue to hold during his mayoral run.
"I'm running for Mayor because Richmond is at an inflection point and needs a proven leader at the helm," he said in an April 10 press release.
He lives in the East End with his family. His wife, Mary Kay, is an elementary school teacher with Richmond Public Schools, and he has five children. He was named Richmonder of the Year in 2020 by Style Weekly.
Michelle Mosby
Michelle Mosby, a former 9th District Richmond City Council member, officially announced her bid for mayor in January 2024. But VPM News first reported the independent candidate filed state paperwork for the run in August 2022.
Mosby was a councilor from 2013 through 2016 and was the first Black woman to serve as Richmond City Council president. In 2016, she unsuccessfully ran for mayor.
A year after her bid for mayor, Mosby took second place in the contest for the city treasurer position.
Mosby currently runs Help Me Help You, a nonprofit she founded that aims to help formerly incarcerated people return to their communities.
Maurice Neblett
This is Maurice Neblett's first bid for office; according to VPAP, the entrepreneur had raised less than $200 by the end of 2023.
According to Neblett's campaign website, he is prioritizing financial accountability and transparency; public safety and community engagement; and education and empowerment.
Neblett, a graduate of Virginia Union University with a degree in criminology and criminal justice, was in the news several years ago when he filed a civil suit in 2015 against the Richmond Police Department for $2.3 million. A Commonwealth Times article from 2017 reported that the lawsuit was ongoing.
Harrison Roday
Bridging Virginia Founder Harrison Roday declared his candidacy on Feb. 22, 2024 — just one day after City Councilor Andreas Addison. It is his first time running for public office.
Roday said his background in running businesses with thousands of employees would help lead City Hall more effectively. But it's his experience with investing in communities that he hopes will sway voters.
The nonprofit investor told VPM News, "I think I have the track record on the nonprofit community lending side to show that working across communities, attracting capital to places that have historically been underserved, it's a demonstration that I'll be able to bridge the many important communities and constituencies in all of Richmond."
Out of the running
Chris Hilbert
Former City Councilor Chris Hilbert was initially floated as a rumored candidate late last year in a November 2023 Axios roundup. Weeks later, the Richmond Times-Dispatch included him in its own candidate roundup. He later filed the paperwork to run.
According to data from the Virginia Public Access Project, as of Dec. 31, 2023, his independent campaign had raised $31,464. Separately, the Hilbert for Richmond City Mayor committee had $30,518 on hand at the end of 2023.
Hilbert, who represented Northside on council from 2004-21, had not publicly announced his candidacy — but did circulate a statement announcing his exit from the race on March 19.
Garrett Sawyer
Consultant Garrett Sawyer pivoted to being a Fourth District candidate for council. Sawyer's campaign website established his priorities as inspiring trust in public safety; addressing housing affordability; modernizing city services at City Hall; and fostering a "thriving, collaborative, and functional" public school system.
Sawyer, a UVA alum, was named one of Style Weekly's Top 40 Under 40 in 2022. At the time, he was WayForth's senior vice president of people development.
Editor's note: Style Weekly and VPM News have both been owned by VPM Media Corp. since 2021.