April 21 special election will fill McPike's council seat — but winner won't be seated before budget vote

Alexandria voters will elect a new city council member April 21, but the winner won't be seated until at least May 2 — three days after the council is scheduled to adopt a $977.3 million budget and set the tax rate for fiscal year 2027.

Mayor Alyia Gaskins confirmed the timeline Tuesday night, telling council members that the six-member body will proceed through the full budget process without a replacement for Councilmember Kirk McPike, who vacated his seat after winning a Feb. 10 special election to represent House District 5 in the Virginia General Assembly.

"The earliest that we would get a new member after the April 21st election would be May 2nd," Gaskins said. "And so that is after the budget process."

The disclosure prompted an immediate procedural question from Councilman John Taylor Chapman, who asked whether a 3-3 tie on an add/delete budget item would kill the motion. City Attorney Cheran Ivery confirmed it would. "It would be my opinion that it would die," she said.

Gaskins said the council would circulate documentation to clarify the rules, adding that all other budget process rules — including co-sponsorship requirements — remain unchanged with six members.

Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley urged residents to pay close attention to the council's add/delete deadline of Thursday, April 9 and to focus advocacy on that date. "Over the years we've tried to make sure that the community knew when the add/delete deadline was so that the advocacy that happened after that point was keyed to those add/deletes," she said.

The race

At least three candidates will appear on the April 21 ballot. The filing deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, and additional candidates could still enter the race.

Sandy Marks, a two-term former chair of the Alexandria Democratic Committee and advocacy communications specialist, won the Democratic firehouse primary Feb. 22. Marks ran on a platform anchored by public school funding, housing supply and immigration protection. She has lived in Alexandria for 23 years and resides in Del Ray.

The Alexandria Republican City Committee named Gerry Chandler as its nominee on Tuesday. ARCC Chairman Chris Howell announced the nomination on the committee's website, canceling a candidate canvas that had been scheduled for Feb. 25 — signaling Chandler was the consensus choice. The committee did not provide background on Chandler's professional history or Alexandria ties.

Independent Frank Fannon, a fourth-generation Alexandrian, served on the council from 2009 to 2012, winning his seat as a Republican. He is now running without party affiliation. His campaign centers on fiscal responsibility, neighborhood protection, and what he calls an independent voice on a council he says has lacked debate and accountability. He has pledged to oppose tax increases and called for reconsidering the Zoning for Housing package the council passed unanimously in 2023.

What's at stake

Whoever wins will be sworn in days after the council adopts the city's largest-ever proposed General Fund budget — entering office just as City Manager James Parajon has flagged the FY 2028 cycle as more difficult still. Parajon warned Tuesday of a projected $15 million increase in debt service and three additional collective bargaining negotiations in the coming fiscal year.

The next regular council election is in November 2027.

Key dates

Feb. 27 — Candidate filing deadline, 5 p.m.

March 6 — Early voting begins

April 9 — Council add/delete deadline

April 10 — Last day to apply for a mail ballot, 5 p.m.

April 14 — Last day to register to vote or update registration

April 18 — Early voting ends; tax rate public hearing, 9:30 a.m.

April 21 — Special election, polls open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

April 24 — Mail ballots received by noon

April 29 — FY 2027 budget and tax rate adoption, 6 p.m.

May 2 (earliest) — New council member seated