After missing an important mayoral debate this week due to a “freak accident” while canvassing that led to his hospitalization, Steven Peterson says that he’s done sitting on the sidelines.

Peterson said that got 10 stitches in his nose and suffered a concussion after his 105-pound Golden Retriever chased a squirrel and he face-planted on a gravel path at the West End Farmer’s Market on Sunday. He said that the leash was wrapped around his legs and that he flipped over after the dog bolted.

The injury kept Peterson from participating in the Alexandria Democratic Committee’s debate on Monday or in a candidate forum with Tenants and Workers United in Arlandria on Wednesday.

The June 18 Democrat primary is only 46 days away.

“I am sorry that I missed the debate on Tuesday as I was looking forward to discussing the issues that the city has in front of them and exploring real solutions other than just words of encouragement,” Peterson wrote. “I want to leverage my 30 years of business experience to benefit the City of Alexandria, and I intend to accomplish that through a Listen, Learn, React and Lead mantra.”

Peterson’s campaign will resume next week, although he “won’t win any beauty contests,” he said.

Peterson sent ALXnow a statement on the issues that were presented in Monday night’s debate. In the email he said that his new mantra is “listen, learn, react and lead.”

“I am not going to take a back seat anymore and be the ‘developer’ candidate that arrived late to race, and is ignored, and is seen as a Republican,” Peterson wrote. “I want to appeal to the broader base and be issue-focused.”

A retired developer and political newcomer, Peterson is the distinct outsider in the race. He’s never served on a city board or commission, unlike his opponents, Vice Mayor Amy Jackson and City Council Member Alyia Gaskins. He also trails his opponents in fundraising and endorsements.

He also was opposed to the Potomac Yard arena and said he wants to reverse the Zoning for Housing/Housing for All suite of zoning ordinances passed last year.

Peterson’s full statement is below the jump. Read More

Two of Alexandria’s three Democrat mayoral candidates sparred onstage Tuesday night, expressing vastly different ideas on how they would manage city affairs.

In the Alexandria Democratic Committee‘s debate hosted by Teo Armus of The Washington Post, Vice Mayor Amy Jackson and City Council Member Alyia Gaskins laid out their philosophies on governance, as well as some specifics on their visions.

The next mayor will have to contend with a host of issues, including rising crime, the city’s affordable housing crisis, residential taxes vastly outweighing underperforming commercial tax revenues and potential budget cuts from Richmond.

While they shook hands at the start and end, Jackson and Gaskins hardly looked at each other throughout the nearly two-hour event, despite standing about five feet apart. The debate was held in the auditorium of Alexandria City High School.

Protestors calling for a ceasefire to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas also briefly interrupted the final portion of the debate, but after five minutes allowed the candidates to make their closing statements.

Outgoing Mayor Justin Wilson watched the debate in the back of the auditorium with members of the School Board and told ALXnow that he will likely endorse a mayoral candidate before the June 18 primary.

Between now and then, there are a number of mayoral and Council candidate forums.

Read More

The Alexandria Democratic Committee (AlexDems) said candidate Steven Peterson can’t attend the Mayoral Democratic Primary Debate tonight after suffering an injury yesterday.

According to AlexDems:

Please also be aware that, late in the day yesterday, we learned that one of the candidates, Steven Peterson, suffered an injury, is in the hospital recuperating and awaiting surgery, and therefore will not be able to participate in tonight’s debate.

Peterson is an outsider in the race, with also features incumbent Vice Mayor Amy Jackson and City Council member Alyia Gaskins. Peterson, a real estate developer, was opposed to the Potomac Yard arena and said he wants to reverse the Zoning for Housing/Housing for All suite of zoning ordinances passed last year.

ALXnow reached out to Peterson’s campaign for more information.

In the meantime, the debate between Jackson and Gaskins is scheduled for 7 p.m. tonight at Alexandria City High School (3330 King Street) to be moderated by Teo Armus, the lead Northern Virginia reporter for The Washington Post.

“We look forward a lively back-and-forth between candidates Jackson and Gaskins about Alexandria’s most pressing issues,” AlexDems said, “and to hearing from candidate Peterson when he’s back on the campaign trail!”

H/t to Ryan Belmore

Alexandria Congressman split his votes on security funding bills for U.S. allies over the weekend.

Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) voted for bills to aid the defense of Ukraine, which is under Russian invasion, and Taiwan, which is under the threat of Chinese military action. He voted against defense aid for Israel, which is battling Hamas in a bloody conflict that has killed scores of civilians on both sides.

On the House floor, Beyer said Congress should have voted on the Ukraine and Taiwan bills sooner.

“While it is deeply unfortunate that it took this long for wiser voices to prevail, the House is stepping up today to proclaim American strength and send bold support to Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific,” he said. “The Ukrainian people did not choose this war, Ukraine was invaded by a bloodthirsty tyrant who has designs that go far beyond Ukraine.”

“If allowed to expand unchecked, Russian and Chinese aggression will only make a deadly global confrontation more likely,” Beyer continued. “This moment is long overdue, and we can only hope that the delay will not result in lasting damage to Ukraine’s war efforts.”

On Israel, Beyer expressed concerns about the necessity of U.S. funding as well as the potential for weapons to be used in a way that inflicts more civilian casualties.

“Unlike Ukraine, Israel simply does not need fiscal assistance from the United States at the level contained in this bill,” Beyer said in a statement. “Israel is a wealthy nation with the ability to borrow, and recently-passed appropriations language provided Israel with $3.8 billion. I support humanitarian assistance and have voted in the past to fund defensive capabilities including Iron Dome, but too much of this funding is likely to pay for weapons that recent history says will lead to more civilian deaths.”

The Congressman’s full statement about the Israel vote is below.

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) issued the following statement today on H.R. 8034, the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act:

“I have repeatedly condemned Hamas’ horrific attacks since October 7 and steadfastly called for the release of all hostages. Since that day, the United States has provided massive and costly military, intelligence, and diplomatic support to Israel. The Israeli government has unfortunately proven unwilling or unable to match that support by adhering to the laws governing U.S. assistance or adequately responding to concerns raised repeatedly by the Administration. Hamas’ destructive tactics do not absolve our allies from their legal obligations to the U.S. or the international community. We must not sacrifice our humanity or our values to the viciousness of our opponents.

“The IDF campaign in Gaza has resulted in far too many civilian casualties, which significantly undercut claims of rigorous targeting or careful adherence to rules of engagement. Too many well-documented incidents have either gone uninvestigated or resulted in pro forma investigations that do not lead to consequences or corrections. The World Central Kitchen strike unfortunately does not stand out because it represents a rare failure, it was unique because the identity of the victims led to internal consequences within the IDF. The disastrous humanitarian situation in Gaza, highlighted by the absurdity of the United States airdropping supplies and building a pier while our Israeli allies impede supplies via land crossings and Israeli ports, has only improved in recent weeks due to threats of a change in US policy. This supplemental sends the opposite message.

“Unlike Ukraine, Israel simply does not need fiscal assistance from the United States at the level contained in this bill. Israel is a wealthy nation with the ability to borrow, and recently-passed appropriations language provided Israel with $3.8 billion. I support humanitarian assistance and have voted in the past to fund defensive capabilities including Iron Dome, but too much of this funding is likely to pay for weapons that recent history says will lead to more civilian deaths.

“This bill ties us ever more closely to a Prime Minister who has lost the trust of his people and has demonstrated that he does not deserve ours either. While war has raged in Gaza, the Netanyahu government is engaging in inflammatory tactics in the West Bank and Jerusalem, expanding illegal settlements, and failing to restrain extremist settler violence. They also seem intent on ignoring President Biden’s solid advice to avoid dangerous regional escalation. The Prime Minister in both word and deed has made his opposition to a US-supported two state solution crystal clear. I cannot agree to further assistance that is not tied to verifiable changes in Israeli policy.

“Above all, I am deeply concerned that Israel’s current government is on a path of increasing isolation that jeopardizes Israel’s long term security and is directly at odds with core American values. I cannot in good conscience support this bill, and therefore will vote no.”

Beyer also issued a statement, below, about Ukraine funding.

Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) issued the following statement today on his vote for H.R. 8035, the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act:

“At last Congress is doing the right thing and taking action to fund Ukraine. This should have happened so long ago, and we can only hope that the cynicism of Republican members that caused this delay will not result in lasting damage to Ukraine’s war effort.

“The Ukrainian people did not choose this war, it was begun by a bloodthirsty tyrant who has designs that go far beyond Ukraine. If allowed to expand unchecked, Russian aggression would make a deadly global confrontation more likely. Though some of my colleagues would like to imagine that they can hide from world events, history has shown many times that what happens in Europe and elsewhere in the world affects our national security. Ignoring expansionism is not a strategy to defeat America’s geopolitical foes, it will only empower them.

“I urge the Senate to pass this legislation with all possible speed so that Ukraine can get the help it needs as quickly as possible. I commend the Biden Administration’s work that has been so effective at forging and keeping together the consensus of our allies to support and sustain Ukraine. It is my deepest hope that this victory in Congress, though much delayed, will help to make possible Ukraine’s ultimate victory on the battlefield.”

The bill passed the House today with robust bipartisan support, and is expected to clear the Senate and be signed into law by the President with other national security legislation in the coming days.

It was another busy week in Alexandria.

This week’s top stories focused on development projects all over the city, from Old Town North to Carlyle and in the West End. News of the mixed-use projects comes as affordable housing advocates are protesting against being priced out and are asking for greater assistance from the city.

Politics-wise, City Council Member Alyia Gaskins celebrated two recent victories in her Democratic primary race for mayor. Gaskins is leading with fundraising, having raised $149,107 with $69,425 on-hand, according to quarterly campaign finance reports released Monday. Her opponent Vice Mayor Amy Jackson has raised $59,984 and has $22,682 on-hand, while former real estate developer Steven Peterson has raised $44,700 with $14,019 on-hand.

Gaskins also handily won the recent Alexandria Democratic Committee’s Straw Poll by 81%, followed by 16% for Jackson and 3% for Peterson. The primary is on June 18.

On Tuesday, we reported on a new movement to return Alexandria’s City Council to ward/district representation. While the nine-member Alexandria School Board is divided into three districts, the seven members of City Council are at-large, representing the entire city. The Communities for Accountable City Council is a self-described non-partisan group of city residents “exasperated with the intransigent Alexandria City Council that is unaccountable to communities and neighborhoods because of Alexandria’s At-Large election system.”

In our poll this week we asked whether City Council should return to a ward system. Out of the more than 500 votes, 57% voted yes and 43% voted no.

The most-read stories this week were:

1. Notes: Old Town North building sold for $15.4 million to be turned into mixed-use apartment building (8413 views)
2. Alexandria considering big plans for properties next to Eisenhower Avenue Metro station (4987 views)
3. Alexandria City Council approves new ‘neighborhood’ at former Vulcan Materials site (4603 views)
4. CVS set to close in Taylor Run neighborhood on Duke Street (3611 views)
5. Affordable housing advocates rally outside Alexandria City Hall (3559 views)
6. No arrest after fistfight leads to gunfire in Lincolnia (3351 views)
7. Notes: Fundraiser for motorcyclist killed on Duke Street raises thousands (2390 views)
8. Local organization forms to push Alexandria back to district/ward elections (2303 views)
9. Mystic BBQ & Grill opens on Lee Street in Old Town (2235 views)

Have a safe weekend!

A new advocacy group has formed in hopes of returning Alexandria to a district/wards election system.

The Communities for Accountable City Council (CACC) describes itself as a non-partisan group of Alexandria residents “exasperated with the intransigent Alexandria City Council that is unaccountable to communities and neighborhoods because of Alexandria’s At-Large election system.”

While the group is non-partisan, leader Tom Kopko said the origins of the group are in the contentious decision last year to end single-family-only zoning as part of a new plan called Zoning for Housing.

“We’re a group of people who are totally frustrated with the obvious intransigence and lack of accountability of City Council,” Kopko said. “There’s a long list of grievances, the latest is Zoning for Housing. They betrayed homeowners and, against massive opposition, passed [Zoning for Housing] unanimously.”

Zoning for Housing faced opposition from local homeowners, but also garnered support from others who say greater density is the only path to building enough housing to make Alexandria affordable.

Kopko said the feeling among residents he’s spoken to is that the City Council is unaccountable because they’re elected at large.

“Citizens have no recourse against seven elected officials and staff, all because they’re elected at large,” Kopko said. “Who is the person who cares about your neighborhood?”

Kopko pointed to a federal judge’s ruling that Virginia Beach’s at-large voting system is illegal as an example of at-large voting being struck down elsewhere in the state.

“Rejection of district elections is a rejection of every other electoral system that we all know and expect,” Kopko said. “The smaller the district, the more responsive the elected representative. That principle applies to anybody, no matter where they live.”

While Kopko said the group was formed in response to opposition to Zoning for Housing, Kopko said he believes the change could also benefit those who live in apartments or supported Zoning for Housing.

Regardless of where people are on Zoning for Housing: nobody had a representative for their community. Everyone had to try and lobby seven different people. That is totally unfair. The Zoning for Housing decision didn’t allow, for example, Del Ray — which was completely betrayed by Zoning for Housing — to hold any particular person accountable. Now they have to try and hold seven people accountable? That’s not the American way, no matter what their community of interest is.

A change to the district or ward system would require changing the city charter, Kopko said.

CACC said the district/ward system is a relic of segregation:

For its first 150 years, Alexandrians elected their city government by district/ward, until 1950 when segregationists installed at-large elections to suppress minority voices. Today, at-large elections similarly insulate the centrally-elected City Council from all voices, even betraying their core supporters.

This is far from the first time wards have been discussed for Alexandria’s City Council. A Washington Post article in 1992 highlighted similar back-and-forth arguments over wards. Reporter and historian Michael Lee Pope wrote that there was a similar battle between Del Ray and Old Town in 1932.

Last year, all current City Council members expressed unanimous opposition to a ward system in Alexandria.

Mayor Justin Wilson said he has mixed feelings on wards; saying that while he isn’t opposed to them in general, he doesn’t think they’d solve problems in Alexandria.

“I’m not categorically opposed to wards, but I generally don’t think they would solve the issues those who advocate for them believe they would,” Wilson said.

Wilson said most advocates for wards are either opposed to a specific land-use decision and believe the result would be different with specific neighborhood representation — as is the case with CACC — or are Republicans and other political groups who believe they could get more representation if the city had wards — as was the case in 1992.

But Wilson said having one member out of seven opposing a project with a citywide benefit won’t derail a project.

“If anything, it could make the Council less likely to incorporate the concerns of localized opposition,” Wilson said.

For those Republicans hoping to get a seat on Council via wards, Wilson said there’s further bad news.

“There is really no way you could draw wards in Alexandria to result in ‘Republican’ districts,” Wilson said. “Our lowest Democratic-performance precincts are still 50+%.”

Still, Kopko said the current at-large system is a relic of a bygone era that needs removal.

Pope wrote that advocates of the at-large system argued the removal of “sectorial interests” would create better candidates to lead the city. Meanwhile, opponents of the at-large system argue, as Kopko does, that the at-large system allows the City Council to overlook the interests of parts of the city without facing consequences.

Alexandria Living Magazine reported that the vote for an at-large system in 1950 intentionally limited minority voices.

“The origins of the at-large system are quite ugly, from the segregationist period — from the TC Williams era,” Kopko said. “I don’t know how anyone reading the history of a large system being based on a segregationist system could be in favor of it. How could you?”

Alexandria mayoral candidate Alyia Gaskins won the Alexandria Democratic Committee’s Straw Poll on Sunday night.

Gasksins defeated Vice Mayor Amy Jackson 117 votes to 23 votes, or 81% to Jackson’s 16%. A third mayoral candidate, Steven Peterson, did not show up for the event, and received 4 votes (3%).

City Council’s four incumbent members running for reelection also won, and so did two newcomers. The unofficial and unscientific contest is held before every Council primary at the Port City Brewing Company (3950 Wheeler Avenue).

“The results from the ADC straw poll show that a range of Democrats — some of who have been engaged in local politics for decades and others who are brand new — overwhelmingly agree that I’m the best candidate for mayor,” Gaskins said. “I’m excited to build on this momentum as I continue to spread my vision for a safer, more affordable, more accessible Alexandria.”

There are 11 Council candidates in the running in the June 18 primary for the six-seat Council, as well as three mayoral candidates.

Council Members John Taylor Chapman and Kirk McPike tied for the top spot among the City Council candidates. In the general election in November, the top vote-getter becomes the city’s vice mayor.

The Democrat and Republican primary is on June 18 and the general election is on Nov. 5.

The Results

1. John Taylor Chapman — 98 votes (68%)
2. Kirk McPike — 98 votes (68%)
3. Sarah Bagley — 93 votes (65%)
4. Canek Aguirre — 81 votes (56%)
5. James Lewis — 78 votes (54%)
6. Jesse O’Connell — 77 votes (53%)
7. Jacinta Greene — 75 votes (52%)
8. Kevin Harris — 50 votes (35%)
9. Abdel Elnoubi — 47 votes (33%)
10. Jonathan Huskey — 18 votes (13%)
11. Charlotte Scherer — 15 votes (10%)

The ADC Straw Poll got it right in 2021 by correctly predicting the mayoral and council members elected that November. But the poll is not always accurate. In 2018, former City Councilor Willie Bailey received the most votes but lost reelection. Former City Councilwoman Del Pepper, Jackson and former Council Member Mo Seifeldein didn’t make the unofficial cut either, still winning in the June primary and the November general election.

Three years ago the @AlexVADems Straw Poll correctly predicted both the Mayoral and City Council Democratic nominees.

We’re back at @PortCityBrew to see what happens this time! pic.twitter.com/u3r5C6tmu3

— Justin Wilson (@justindotnet) April 14, 2024

.@Alyia4ALX wins the @AlexVADems' straw poll for mayor https://t.co/IwEnS8rW6N pic.twitter.com/FX3mnQGugn

— Blue Virginia (@bluevirginia) April 14, 2024

Good Friday morning, Alexandria!

⛈️ Today’s weather: Expect scattered showers and thunderstorms, partly sunny skies, and a high around 68. Breezy conditions will prevail, featuring a west wind at 14-24 mph and gusts up to 43 mph; there’s a 40% chance of precipitation. Friday night will see scattered showers, mainly before 2am, with mostly cloudy skies and a low near 52. The breeze will continue with a west wind at 21 mph and gusts reaching 39 mph, accompanied by a 30% chance of precipitation.

🚨 You need to know

Like Rodney Dangerfield, U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) is going back to school.

Patch reported that the 73-year-old Congressman enrolled at George Mason University to get a Master’s Degree in artificial intelligence.

Does it pose an existential threat? Beyer says no.

“I tend to be an AI optimist,” Beyer said after taking a recent class. “We can’t even imagine how different our lives will be in five years, 10 years, 20 years, because of AI. … There won’t be robots with red eyes coming after us any time soon. But there are other deeper existential risks that we need to pay attention to.”

📈 Thursday’s most read

The following are the most-read ALXnow articles for Apr 11, 2024.

1. Mayoral candidates say Alexandrians lost trust in public officials because of failed Potomac Yard arena deal (1023 views)
2. Alexandria police investigating white supremacist fliers posted in Potomac Yard (923 views)
3. What’s Up in Alexandria This Weekend: Del Ray Dog Fest, Spring Garden Market, Spring Oysterfest, and more! (460 views)

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s going on today and this weekend in Alexandria, from our event calendar.

• 9:00 am Friday: 2024 Spring Garden Market at River Farm
• 8:30 am Saturday: MVCS Big Flea in the Neighborhood
• 9:00 am Saturday: 2024 Spring Garden Market at River Farm
• 👉 9:00 am Saturday: Del Ray Vintage & Flea Market
• 12:00 pm Saturday: The “Grandest Congress”: The French and Indian War in Alexandria
• 8:00 pm Saturday: LIVE Comedy Game Show with the Auxiliary Improv

The failed Potomac Yard arena deal, transparency in government and affordable housing took the lead as top issues in the first mayoral candidate forum of the 2023 Democratic primary race.

The candidates — Vice Mayor Amy Jackson, Council Member Alyia Gaskins and former real estate developer Steven Peterson are vying to replace outgoing two-term Mayor Justin Wilson, and provided positions on a number of subjects Wednesday night to the Del Ray Citizens Association.

The Potomac Yard arena deal was sprung on the region in a surprise Dec. 13 press conference as a one-in-a-lifetime chance to move the Washington Wizards and Capitals from D.C. next door to the Potomac Yard Metro station.

Gaskins said that it was a mistake to rollout the arena deal as if it was a slam dunk, and that the city needs to work on its community engagement.

“This was not a done deal, as I think we all understand,” Gaskins said. “But the way it was rolled out I think is a huge learning moment for us, because far too many people thought it was and then they lost trust not only in the process, but they lost trust in their elected officials. And when we lose your trust we have failed.”

Del Ray is next to Potomac Yard, and DRCA is one of the next door neighborhoods that was against the arena project, according to a March survey.

Governor Glenn Youngkin envisioned a world-class venue and entertainment district that could potentially lower residential taxes in the city, but he lacked the political acumen to get Democrat legislators on board and the proposal died in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Peterson said that he’s running on a platform of transparency.

“I think that we saw firsthand that the arena deal was not approved due to the lack of transparency with the citizens,” Peterson said. “Essentially, trust was lost between the citizens and the state and local government officials.”

He continued, “The December announcement clearly caught a majority this area by surprise. There was never any transparency with the citizens or citizen input.”

Jackson is on her second term on City Council. An Alexandria native and T.C. Williams High School graduate, she said that she was against the arena early on, but that Potomac Yard still needs an entertainment district, and echoed statements by landowner JBG Smith’s CEO Matt Kelly, who said that the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus will be the anchor and that Potomac Yard’s future is as a tech corridor. She also said that she supports a 3-cent tax increase to pay for teacher raises.

“We still need an entertainment district,” Jackson said. “It needs to be a tech district.”

City Council has advertised a 4-cent tax increase in its budget deliberations.

The candidates spoke for less than an hour, establishing their platforms with 10-minute-long opening statements and two minute closing statements. The questions were sent to the candidates before the forum, and were focused on the arena, the school system, taxes, city services and protecting Del Ray as a historic neighborhood.

Jackson and Peterson agreed to protecting Del Ray’s historic character. Jackson she was against Council’s elimination of single family zoning, and Peterson said that he would reverse a slew of zoning reforms passed last year that are intended to increase the city’s affordable housing stock.

Peterson said that the city isn’t broken and has a lot to be proud of.

“Mayor Wilson has navigated the city through some challenging times,” he said. “There’s ways to address affordable housing but eliminating single family housing is not the solution in my opinion.”

Peterson also said that Del Ray should take its cues from Old Town’s historic district, which puts restrictions on homeowners to redevelop properties.

“Old Town has done a very good job and I think we need to help model Del Ray with what what is done in Old Town, because the historic nature is what’s made it successful and why people want to live there now,” he said.

Gaskins is seemingly the frontrunner in the race, having raised the most money, as of the last campaign finance disclosure deadline in December. She now claims to have raised $134,000, and also received the endorsements from three out of the four City Council Members seeking reelection — John Taylor Chapman, Kirk McPike and Sarah Bagley.

Gaskins said that her top priorities are creating a safer, more affordable and accessible city. If elected, she said that City Council would conduct monthly meetings with the Sheriff’s Office and Police department. She also said that she supports no more than a 2.5 cent tax increase in the upcoming budget.

“We’re going to develop action plans that we post on our website so that you can see what we’re working on and you can hold us accountable for delivering,” Gaskins said.

The Democratic primary is June 18, and there are a number of candidate forums between now and then.

The political season is officially underway in Alexandria, as the three Democrat candidates for mayor will face off in their first forum on Wednesday. There are also a number of forums and meet-and-greets scheduled for the 11 Democrat City Council candidates and lone Republican candidate.

The Democratic and Republican primaries for City Council are on June 18.

The Del Ray Citizens Association will host the first event for its members via Zoom at 7 p.m. with the three mayoral candidates — Vice Mayor Amy Jackson, City Council Member Alyia Gaskins and former real estate developer Steven Peterson.

The event will run until 8:30 p.m.

The current list forums is below.

April 10 at 7 p.m. — Online Del Ray Citizens Association mayoral forum (members only)

April 15 at 6 p.m. — Mayoral and Council candidate forum at Lost Dog Cafe in Old Town (808 N. Henry Street) hosted by the Washington Area Bicyclist Association and the Alexandria Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee

April 17 at 7 p.m. —  Alpha Kappa Alpha and the League of Women Voters will host a mayoral forum via Zoom

April 24 at 6 p.m. — The Federation of Civic Associations will host a candidate forum at Alexandria Police Department headquarters (3600 Wheeler Avenue)

April 25 at 7 p.m. — The Alexandria NAACP mayoral debate. Location to be determined

May 2 at 6 p.m. — Tenants and Workers United and Grassroots Alexandria will host a candidate forum at 3801 Mount Vernon Avenue

May 7 at 7 p.m. — The PTA Council of Alexandria will conduct a candidate forum in the Alexandria City High School cafeteria (3330 King Street)

May 9 at 7 p.m. — Alexandria NAACP debate with council candidates. Location to be determined

May 11 at 7 p.m. — VOICE candidates forum at Third Baptist Church of Alexandria (917 Prince Street)

May 13 at 8 p.m. — Del Ray Business Association candidate forum at Piece Out (2419 Mount Vernon Avenue)

May 15 — North Ridge Citizens Association mayoral forum. Location to be determined

May 15 at 7 p.m. — The Lynhaven and Hume Springs Civic Association will conduct an in-person and Zoom mayoral forum at the Leonard “Chick“ Armstrong Recreation Center (25 W. Reed Avenue)

June 4 — The Chamber ALX mayoral debate will be held “in the evening” at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial

June 8 at 10 a.m. — The West End Business Association will hold a mayoral forum at Taqueria Picoso (1472 N. Beauregard Street)