Alexandria City Council | ALXnow

Independent candidate Alison O’Connell turning in signatures to join City Council special election

Published February 27, 2026 at 3:45PM | Updated February 27, 2026 at 4:53PM

Alison O'Connell (courtesy photo)

With today’s 5 p.m. deadline fast approaching, Alison O’Connell is working to submit 125 signatures needed to file an independent candidacy to run for Alexandria City Council.

O’Connell, a founding member of Alexandria for Palestinian Human Rights, is hoping to run for City Council with platform issues that include affordable housing, ethical investment and anti-immigration enforcement measures. She and her team have been collecting signatures and turning them in throughout the day to the city’s registrar’s office, she told ALXnow this afternoon (Friday).

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Alexandria residents fuel 3.4% rise in tax base, new assessments show

By James Cullum

Published February 27, 2026 at 12:15PM | Updated February 27, 2026 at 12:36PM

A street lined with American flags in Old Town, Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

The gap between Alexandria’s residential and commercial tax bases continues to grow, with residents shouldering more of the city’s tax burden, according to the city’s released real estate tax assessments.

As of Jan. 1, Alexandria’s overall tax base increased by 3.4% in value, or nearly $1.7 billion, to reach $51.4 billion in 2026. The city’s residential tax base increased by 4.4% in value, or $1.4 billion, while the commercial tax base gained $334.8 million in value, up 1.9%, and the non-locally assessed tax base declined by $20.5 million, dropping 2.8%.

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JUST IN: Republican nominee withdraws from Alexandria City Council race

By James Cullum

Published February 26, 2026 at 3:10PM | Updated February 26, 2026 at 6:37PM

Voting at Temple Beth El Synagogue (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Gerry Chandler, the Alexandria Republican City Committee’s nominee in the April 21 City Council special election, is withdrawing from the race.

Chandler, an educator and computer scientist, told ALXnow that he will not be running due to the “financial disclosures” he would have to submit. So far, Democratic nominee Sandy Marks and independent candidate Frank Fannon are the only people running to replace former Councilman-turned-Delegate R. Kirk McPike.

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Officials break ground on 377-unit affordable apartment complex at Victory Center

By James Cullum

Published February 26, 2026 at 10:30AM | Updated February 26, 2026 at 7:45PM

The Victory Center at 5001 Eisenhower Avenue (staff photo by James Cullum)

Officials kicked off the residential conversion of the long-vacant Victory Center yesterday (Wednesday) with a symbolic wall demolition, as the site is expected to welcome hundreds of housing units along Eisenhower Avenue.

The project at 5001 Eisenhower Avenue by property owner Stonebridge, the City of Alexandria and Amazon’s Housing Fund promises to bring 377 housing units to the 9.73-acre Victory Center property, including committed affordable and workforce units.

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City Manager unveils $977 million budget proposal without tax increase

By James Cullum

Published February 25, 2026 at 3:45PM

Alexandria City Manager Jim Parajon at the George Washington Birthday Parade in Old Town, Feb. 19, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Manager Jim Parajon unveiled his proposed $977.3 million Fiscal Year 2027 budget last night (Tuesday).

While the budget is a 2.2% increase from the current FY 2026 budget, Parajon’s proposal keeps the real estate tax rate of $1.135 per $100 of assessed value, and does not change the city’s refuse rate. He was able to achieve the feat through $9 million “in efficiency reductions, cost cutting savings, and vacant position reductions to balance the budget.”

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Republican Gerry Chandler named nominee for City Council after Alexandria GOP cancels canvas

By James Cullum

Published February 24, 2026 at 3:00PM

Voting at Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library in Alexandria's West End, Nov. 5, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Republican Gerry Chandler intends to enter the April 21 race for City Council, the Alexandria Republican City Committee has announced.

Chandler is slated to run against Democrat Sandy Marks and independent candidate Frank Fannon in the upcoming special election to replace former Councilman-turned-Delegate R. Kirk McPike. Candidates have until 5 p.m. Friday to submit paperwork to the General Registrar to appear on the ballot.

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Alexandria sets Friday filing deadline for City Council candidates in April special election

By Katie Taranto

Published February 23, 2026 at 3:50PM

Voting sign at the Charles Houston Recreation Center in Old Town on Election Day, Nov. 4, 2025 (staff photo by Katie Taranto)

The City of Alexandria has confirmed the April 21 special election date for an open seat on City Council, and candidates are required to file by the end of this week.

Candidates are required to have all paperwork submitted to the General Registrar by 5 p.m. this Friday, Feb. 27 in order to appear on the ballot, according to a city announcement this afternoon (Monday).

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BREAKING: Sandy Marks wins Democratic firehouse primary for City Council seat

By James Cullum

Published February 21, 2026 at 10:55PM

Alexandria City Council candidate Sandy Marks (center) with her supporters outside the Leonard "Chick" Armstrong Recreation Center on the day of the Democratic firehouse primary, Feb. 21, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Former Alexandria Democratic Committee Chair Sandy Marks has won the Democratic firehouse primary for an open seat on City Council tonight (Saturday), beating four opponents to face independent candidate and former Republican councilman Frank Fannon in the special election.

Marks won with 1,573 votes (39.6%), against 947 votes for Tim Laderach (23.8%), 876 votes for Roberto Gomez (22%), 467 votes for Charles Sumpter (11.7%) and 112 votes for Cesar Madison Tapia (2.8%) out of the 3,975 ballots cast. From the time polls opened at 8:30 a.m. to closing at 7 p.m., the five candidates spent time at both polling locations: Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library (5005 Duke Street) and the Leonard “Chick” Armstrong Recreation Center (25 W. Reed Avenue).

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City Council candidates explain more policy stances in forum ahead of Democratic primary

By Katie Taranto

Published February 19, 2026 at 5:00PM

Alexandria Federation of Civic Associations hosts a City Council candidate forum (photo courtesy of James Minichello Photography)

Democratic candidates for Alexandria City Council shared their views on economic development, traffic and parking, housing growth and more during a forum last night (Wednesday).

The event was hosted by Alexandria Federation of Civic Associations at Immanuel Church on the Hill ahead of Saturday’s Democratic firehouse primary. About two dozen people turned out and several more attended via Zoom to the event, which was moderated by Bill Rossello, president of the Seminary Hill Association.

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Democratic City Council candidates lay out differences in first forum in Del Ray

By James Cullum

Published February 17, 2026 at 3:00PM

(Left to right) City Council candidates Sandy Marks, Tim Laderach, Cesar Madison Tapia, Charles Sumpter and Roberto Gomez at the Del Ray Business Association's candidate forum at St. Elmo's Coffee Pub, Feb. 16, 2026 (courtesy photo by James Minichello)

Five Democratic candidates for an open seat on the Alexandria City Council participated in their first forum together on Monday night in Del Ray.

The Del Ray Business Association’s forum was held in a packed house at St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub (2300 Mount Vernon Avenue). All five candidates running in the firehouse primary on Feb. 21 participated in the event and discussed a wide array of issues affecting Del Ray in particular and the city in general.

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Former Councilman Frank Fannon runs as independent in City Council special election

By Emily Leayman and James Cullum

Published February 17, 2026 at 8:15AM

Frank Fannon for Alexandria City Council (courtesy photo)

Frank Fannon, the last Republican to be elected to Alexandria City Council, will run for the office again in the April 21 special election.

Fannon announced his City Council campaign at the annual Friendship Firehouse Breakfast yesterday (Monday). The former councilmember told ALXnow he is running as an independent for the seat formerly held by Kirk McPike (D), who won the special election for Virginia’s 5th House District seat.