City Council adopted Resolution #04192 on December 13, 2022, which directed the City Manager to develop a public input process to educate and survey residents regarding the City's election system and requested that this process be substantially completed prior to August 18, 2023.

A series of community meetings (information located on the "Community Meeting Schedule" tab on this page) have been scheduled between March 25 and April 3 as an opportunity for residents to provide their input.

That date is the deadline to petition the Circuit Court for a referendum to be placed on the November 7, 2023, ballot. During the City Council work session on January 17, 2023, the City Attorney's Office and the Communications Department briefed Council on the history of the election system, the Holloway court case and history, the 2021 General Assembly actions, and the 2022 election and potential viable options for an election system in 2024.

The second half of the briefing focused on the planning and execution of an education and public engagement plan and an outline of a robust community engagement plan that includes contracting with the University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service for community engagement and resident survey efforts.

In addition to the comments submitted via the mailed survey, online survey and listening sessions, the Weldon Cooper Center will also provide a report that reviews the current election system and identifies legally viable options to consider as an alternative election system for the City of Virginia Beach.