Mayor
November 3, 2026 · Newport News city, Virginia · City · general
How do we calculate vote impact?
Vote impact = representation (how much weight one vote carries here, the smaller the district's population, the higher the representation) + decisiveness (how likely this race is to be close, based on past results and number of candidates).
Representation: Low · 8 out of 100
This district is large for its type, so each vote is a smaller slice of the outcome. About 184,216 people live here.
score = 100 × ln(largest population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(largest ÷ smallest), rounded to 2 decimals = 100 × ln(456,349 ÷ 184,216) ÷ ln(456,349 ÷ 6) = 8.07, comparing cities and towns in VA (grades: 66+ high, 33+ average, otherwise low)
Decisiveness: Unknown
No past results for this contest yet.
Low representation + unknown decisiveness → Below average vote impact.
Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".
Mayor is responsible for:
- Serving as the city's top elected leader and its public face
- Setting policy priorities and helping shape the city budget
- Running city government day to day in some cities; in others, a hired city manager runs daily operations
- Signing or vetoing council laws and appointing department heads, such as the police chief, in many cities
Affected Areas: Environment and Public Health, Government Efficiency, Government Spending Reduction, Public Safety and Crime Control, Housing Affordability, Social Programs and Welfare, Civil Rights, Public Infrastructure
Candidates
Phil Hamilton
Nonpartisan · declared
Candidate for Mayor of Newport News in 2026. A former Virginia House of Delegates member and former teacher and school administrator.
Phillip Jones
Nonpartisan · Incumbent · declared
Incumbent Mayor of Newport News, Virginia (since 2022), seeking re-election in 2026. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran and the city's first Black mayor.
Sharon Scott
Nonpartisan · declared
Candidate for Mayor of Newport News in 2026. Former member of the Newport News City Council.
Election sources
Source: ballotpedia.org
Source: vpap.org