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Portsmouth City Council Member, At-Large

Portsmouth city, Virginia

My vote power

High

Election date

November 3, 2026 · General election

How do we calculate my vote power?

What goes into the rating: Representation: how much weight one vote carries here compared with a statewide vote — the smaller the district, the more each vote counts. Decisiveness: how likely this race is to be close, based on past results or current analyst ratings, plus the number of candidates.

Representation: High · 70 out of 100

This district is a small slice of its state, so each vote here carries much more weight than a vote in a statewide race. About 97,190 people live here.

Show the representation math

score = 50 + 50 × ln(state population ÷ this district's) ÷ ln(50,000) = 50 + 50 × ln(8,705,170 ÷ 97,190) ÷ ln(50,000) = 70.77, measured against a statewide vote in VA (grades: 66+ high, 33+ normal, otherwise low; a statewide race is the 50 baseline)

Decisiveness: Unknown

No analyst ratings or past results for this contest yet.

High representation → My vote power: High.

Some data is missing, so this rating is based on partial information and capped at "High".

About this office

  • Passing city laws, called ordinances
  • Approving the city budget
  • Funding city services, such as police, trash, and parks

Affects: Environment and Public Health, Government Efficiency, Government Spending Reduction,

Candidates

Nonpartisan · Incumbent · declared

William E. 'Bill' Moody, Jr. is an incumbent at-large member of the Portsmouth City Council, currently serving as Vice Mayor, and is seeking re-election in the November 2026 nonpartisan election.

Nonpartisan · declared

Donna Lee Biggs is a candidate for the Portsmouth City Council (at-large) in the November 2026 nonpartisan election. She has not previously held elected office.

Nonpartisan · declared

Jonathan Adam Smallwood is a candidate for the Portsmouth City Council (at-large) in the November 2026 nonpartisan election. He has not previously held elected office.

Nonpartisan · declared

Lisa Lucas-Burke is a candidate for the Portsmouth City Council (at-large) in the November 2026 nonpartisan election, seeking a return to the council. She previously served on the council from 2017 to 2025, including terms as Vice Mayor, and stepped down in 2024 to run unsuccessfully for mayor.

Nonpartisan · Incumbent · declared

Mark A. Hugel is an incumbent at-large member of the Portsmouth City Council seeking re-election in the November 2026 nonpartisan election.

Nonpartisan · declared

The Rev. Dr. Mark M. Whitaker is a candidate for the Portsmouth City Council (at-large) in the November 2026 nonpartisan election. He previously served on the council from 2014 to 2024. In 2018 he was convicted of felony forgery in connection with a credit-union matter and later received an absolute pardon from Governor Ralph Northam.

Nonpartisan · Incumbent · declared

Vernon L. Tillage, Jr. is an incumbent at-large member of the Portsmouth City Council seeking re-election in the November 2026 nonpartisan election.

Sources: portsmouthva.gov · vpap.org