No to 10-1
I am writing to urge support for a City Council structure of seven district members and three at-large members plus the mayor (7-3-1), rather than having 10 single-district representatives (10-1). While both models intend to promote fair representation, the mixed system offers a more effective balance between neighborhood advocacy and citywide accountability.
District representatives are indispensable because they ensure that the specific needs of each community are directly voiced at the council table. They safeguard local concerns — such as zoning and public services — that might otherwise be overlooked. However, without at-large members, the council risks becoming a collection of competing districts, each advancing narrow priorities at the expense of the city’s broader welfare.
At-large representatives play a critical role in counteracting that tendency. Because they are elected by and accountable to the entire electorate, at-large members are uniquely positioned to rise above parochial interests and advocate for policies that strengthen the city as a whole. They provide the necessary perspective to unify diverse neighborhoods, foster collaboration and ensure that major issues — such as economic development, public safety and fiscal responsibility — are addressed with a citywide vision.
The 7-3-1 structure therefore achieves an essential equilibrium. It guarantees that communities are heard while also preserving the collective focus required to move the city forward. Eliminating at-large seats would weaken that balance, fragment decision-making and reduce the incentive for cooperation among council members.
Finally, with the 7-3-1 system you get to vote in every election and get five votes instead of two.
So this November, I say vote no to 10-1.
Jack Ross, Every Vote Counts treasurer, Virginia Beach
Debate
Re “Governor’s race” (Your Views, Oct. 27): I have a question for the letter writer who stated that Democratic nominee for governor and former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger “froze like deer in the headlights” when confronted with a question that she didn’t anticipate.
What debate were you watching? Certainly not the same one everyone else watched. The only time Spanberger “froze” was when her opponent, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, continually talked over her though it was Spanberger’s turn to answer a question from the moderator. Spanberger responded to rude and unprofessional behavior from Earle-Sears with dignity and in a professional manner. Instead of continuing with her answer, Spanberger simply ignored her and waited (and waited) for Earle-Sears to stop interrupting. I lost count on how many times the moderator had to halt the debate to tell Earle-Sears to stop interrupting.
Spanberger handled that unpleasant situation exactly the way I would want the next governor of Virginia to respond.
Lisa Thompson, Virginia Beach
Support
Democratic attorney general candidate and former Del. Jay Jones continues to have my support in his pursuit of being Virginia’s attorney general despite his deplorable text messages in 2022. They do not exemplify the man who I met in church. Nor do they reflect the man who recently eulogized an extended family member. He has apologized for making the texts. His apology genuinely took responsibility for them, although given a bit late. Making them public was a bit late also. The motivation to release them appears to be to hurt his candidacy, not to make Jones a better person.
We can see what Jones meant about, “Only when people feel pain personally do they move on policy” when we listen to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s current view on health care. She found her voice to break with her party when family members and close friends informed her about the doubling of premiums if the spending bill becomes law. Lastly, Jones is not one to ignore President Donald Trump’s disregard for the law.
Dennis M. Hansen, Chesapeake
Election letters
We will accept letters related to the election through 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 29, and publish them, space permitting, through Friday, Oct. 31.