CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Chesapeake saw a wide array of candidates vying for three at-large seats on City Council this year. The top three candidates out of the group of nine will be elected to the council.
Only two incumbents ran, Robert Ike and Debbie Ritter, with seven political newcomers attempting to make their names known. They included former law enforcement officials, educators, nonprofit founders, former school board members, and business owners.
Based on unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Election, Ritter was able to hold onto her seat, but Ike lost reelection. As of Wednesday afternoon, provisional ballots are still outstanding.
See the three winners of the Chesapeake City Council election below.
S.Z. "Debbie" Ritter
S.Z. "Debbie" Ritter has held onto her seat on the Chesapeake City Council, earning the most votes of all nine candidates with 16.36% of the vote.
Ritter was first elected to the Chesapeake City Council in 1998. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Elizabeth River Project and was the past president of the Women's Division of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Chesapeake.
She has said she is in support of lowering taxes and improving public safety and law enforcement training.
Les Smith
Les Smith has won a seat on the Chesapeake City Council, earning the second-most votes with 15.85% of the vote, narrowly beating Patricia King.
Smith is a former sheriff's deputy who had spent nearly three decades in law enforcement. He has listed himself as a business owner who hosts expos throughout the city. He'd been endorsed by several notable Democrats in the region, including state Sen. Louis Lucas and state Del. Cliff Hayes.
One of his major priorities is affordable housing, he said, "for our seniors, our disabled, and our homeless."
Patricia King
Patricia King has won a seat on the Chesapeake City Council, earning the third-most votes with 15.73% of the vote.
King is a former school board member, elected in 2018. She has said she will prioritize environmental protection and mental health support. Additionally, she has said she is a proponent of reinstating curbside recycling in the city, "not just for those who can afford it."
