Virginia › Portsmouth City › Member City Council, Portsmouth City
5 candidates are tracked for Member City Council, Portsmouth City on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Vernon Lamont Tillage, Jr., Mark A. Hugel, Lisa L. Lucas-Burke, Mark M. Whitaker and William E. "Bill" Moody, Jr.. Candidate information follows official Portsmouth City election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.
5 certified candidates for Member City Council, Portsmouth City on the November 3, 2026 ballot; Vernon Lamont Tillage, Jr. and Mark A. Hugel and William E. "Bill" Moody, Jr. are listed as the incumbent by the Department of Elections, per the Virginia Department of Elections' certified local candidate list (updated September 3, 2026). Virginia local offices are nonpartisan on the ballot unless a candidate was nominated by a party; the number of seats filled and the district lines come from the locality's own ballot.
Vernon Lamont Tillage, Jr. previously served on the Portsmouth School Board before his election to city council, per his campaign site. He is seeking a second term on the council, per the same source, and cites public safety, affordable housing and student support among his priorities.
2026 priorities (per the campaign site)
- A public safety strategy emphasizing violence prevention
- Sustainable, affordable housing for all residents
- Safe routes for students and investment in mental health and academic support
Source: candidate campaign site.
Campaign site →
Mark A. Hugel is a retired Navy rear admiral with 32 years of Navy service and a long-time Portsmouth resident, per his campaign site. First elected to city council in 2022, he is running for a second term, per the same source, citing education, employment and public safety as priorities.
2026 priorities (per the campaign site)
- Expanding STEM programs and pipelines from Portsmouth schools to college, military service and skilled trades
- Connecting residents to jobs, including in the maritime industry
- Investing in public safety technology and competitive pay for first responders
Source: candidate campaign site.
Campaign site →
Lisa L. Lucas-Burke is a former Portsmouth vice mayor who served on city council from 2017 to 2025, including stints as vice mayor, before stepping down to run for mayor in 2024, per 13newsnow.com. She is running for a return to city council as an independent candidate, citing waterfront revitalization as a top priority, per the same source. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 7, 2026.
2026 priorities
- Revitalizing and building out Portsmouth's waterfront, per 13newsnow.com
Mark M. Whitaker is a pastor and former professor who previously served on Portsmouth City Council from 2014 to 2024, per his campaign site. He is running to return to the council alongside a joint campaign with fellow candidate Ingrid Whitaker under a shared "Forward Together" banner, per the same source. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 7, 2026.
William E. "Bill" Moody, Jr. has served on Portsmouth City Council continuously since being first elected in 1998 and has served as Vice Mayor since 2004, per WAVY.com reporting, making him the longest continuously serving member in council history. He is seeking an eighth term, per the same reporting. No campaign website or questionnaire response was found as of September 7, 2026.
