CHESAPEAKE, Va. — From national to hyperlocal politics, 13News Now wants you to be informed about every race you could see on election day.
A mix of experience and newcomers round out the stage for Chesapeake’s City Council race, where nine candidates are running for three at-large city council seats. That means the top three candidates who receive the most votes will be seated on the City Council.
Incumbent city councilors
An elected city council member first elected to office in 2012, Ike has since been reelected in 2016 and 2020.
With a background in law enforcement with the Chesapeake Sheriff's Office and the Chesapeake Police Department, Ike is a proponent of unnecessary policies, laws and taxes to promote a free market system.
Although city council positions are non-partisan positions, Ike identifies as a Republican, and sits on the executive board of the, Virginia Municipal League (VML), the Hampton Roads Regional Jail and the Chesapeake School Safety Task Force.
The candidate with the most current city council experience running, Ritter was first elected to office in 1998, and subsequently won five elections over the next two decades.
"We should keep our taxes and fees as low as possible, particularly in today’s economy," Ritter said in a city council candidate forum.
"Without a safe city and well trained law enforcement, we have nothing.”
She was the past president of the Women's Division of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Chesapeake. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Elizabeth River Project.
Former law enforcement
Jefferies is currently a police captain with the Chesapeake Police Department.
He told 13News Now he opted to join the race not because of any feeling that the current city council was underperforming, but rather a sense of civic duty he's carried much of his life.
If elected, Jefferies would maintain his position with the police department, saying that he found no legal barriers when researching if he could run and maintain a law enforcement position.
Jefferies cited maintaining growth is the most important issue the city is facing.
“Attracting new businesses, that needs to be the focus, and helping old ones flourish," he said. "But also, public safety has to be number one. No one cares about amenities if you have to clutch your purse or wallet walking to your car.”
A former sheriff's deputy, Smith has previously spent 28 years in law enforcement.
He lists himself as a business owner who hosts expos throughout the city of Chesapeake.
He is endorsed by several notable Democratic leaders in the region including State Sen. Louis Lucas and Delegate Cliff Hayes.
“My platform is that of citizens, and that’s affordable housing. Affordable housing for our seniors our disabled and our homeless," Smith said at the council forum.
Educators
Davis is currently a math teacher in the city of Chesapeake, who won a Teacher of the Year award in 2024. He is also an adjunct mathematics professor at Norfolk State University and Tidewater Community College.
He is an advocate of proactive infrastructure, green spaces and single-member voting districts.
"Proactive infrastructure so that we have better roads and sidewalks, so everybody including our children do not have to walk in busy roadways to go to school," he says.
Naperala is currently a teacher within the Chesapeake Public School system, and is also executive board member of the Chesapeake Education Association and the NAACP chapter in Chesapeake.
She considers her top three policy platforms to be affordable housing, borough representation and collective bargaining.
Naperala also cites advocating for teacher collective bargaining rights before Virginia law allowed for contract negotiation in 2021.
Environment and overdevelopment
King is a former school board member, elected to that seat in 2018, who is now looking to serve on City Council.
With a focus in education, she also is prioritizing environmental protection and mental health at the top of her platform.
“I am concerned about the environment, one of my priorities is re-instating curbside recycling for all citizens, not just those who can afford it. I’m concerned about rapid growth in the city.”
This is Staples' first time running for political office.
When asked his most important challenge and topic he views for the city of Chesapeake, he cited environmental conservation specifically around the Great Dismal Swamp as his most concerned-about issue.
“You have this hyper development going on, and it’s ever getting closer to the dismal swamp. And even development now contaminates the swamp, runs through the feeder ditch," he told 13News now.
Wray is the president of the Eric Vaughan Wray funeral establishment in Norfolk.
When asked about his most important issue facing the city of Chesapeake, he cited the redevelopment of under utilized properties in the city.
“The Greenbriar Mall property, other properties that may be able to be negotiated, negotiated Chesapeake Square, we want to rebuild. Pretty much rebuild, take abandoned shopping centers and make good use of those," he told 13News Now.