Anonymous wrote:I don't get the hoopla about the chicken shop unless you're vegetarian.

You will in the summer time.

I don't get the hoopla about the chicken shop unless you're vegetarian.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here are the candidates on the ballot (you pick up to 6). Lots of new names. In-person absentee balloting starts tomorrow.

Alyia Smith-Parker Gaskins - Yes
Patrick B. Moran - No
R. Kirk McPike - Probably?
John Taylor Chapman (incumbent) - Yes
James C. Lewis, Jr. - Yes, thrilled he is running.
Amy B. Jackson (incumbent) - Yes
Canek Aguirre (incumbent) - HELL NO!
William E. “Bill” Campbell - Unsure
Sarah R. Bagley - No
Kevin J. Harris - Unsure
William C. “Bill” Rossello - No
Meronne E. Teklu - Unsure
Mark Leo Shiffer - No

40 year resident who is fairly involved in politics but feels a number of these candidates have done little in the way of outreach so it’s hard to select six.

I am the OP of this post, updating my answers. 4/6 solidified to date.

Also voting for Wilson, though I seriously wish some of his Trump-like supporters would chill out. Their rhetoric is as bad as that “integrity” Facebook group but they don’t see it. I am afraid it’s really going to hurt Wilson.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which council members (up for re-election) were supporting, and which voted against the halal chicken shop?

All of them that are up for re-election supported it.

Nope, Jackson did not. I will not be voting for her nimby-ness.

Anonymous wrote:Which council members (up for re-election) were supporting, and which voted against the halal chicken shop?

All of them that are up for re-election supported it.

Well, I done with Justin and his unrealistic "Road diets". Also glad Del-Pepper is hanging up her hat and SUPER glad I don't see MOHAMED E. "MO" SEIFELDEIN name on the ballot too!

Alyia Smith-Parker Gaskins - Unsure
Patrick B. Moran - No
R. Kirk McPike - No
John Taylor Chapman (incumbent) - Heck no
James C. Lewis, Jr. - unsure
Amy B. Jackson (incumbent) - Yes
Canek Aguirre (incumbent) - Not a chance in hell.
William E. “Bill” Campbell - Unsure
Sarah R. Bagley - unsure
Kevin J. Harris - Unsure
William C. “Bill” Rossello - unsure
Meronne E. Teklu - Unsure
Mark Leo Shiffer - Probably

I WISH more of them would have better website's sharing their positions on issues. I've had a real hard time finding information yet the expect votes. I don't get it.

Not a resident, but I know Smith-Parker Gaskins and then Chapman's wife through an organization I am part of.

Smith-Parker Gaskins is very smart and capable. I believe she went through the Emerge program, which is very well thought of and has produced many of our current female elected officials.

I don't know Chapman personally, but his spouse is fantastic.

Anonymous wrote:Which council members (up for re-election) were supporting, and which voted against the halal chicken shop?

Actually, I found it. I will be voting for Silberberg, but FOR the council members seeking re-election that supported the permit (Aguirre, Chapman... NOT Jackson and Bennett-Parker). The NIMBYs on this topic have been completely insane, and I eat chicken maybe 5x in a year. If they really care about ethics and animal rights, they should protest any store that sells perdue and tyson.

Which council members (up for re-election) were supporting, and which voted against the halal chicken shop?

Wilson got destroyed in the WP comments today. Heck of a lot more support for Silberberg than I ever would have guessed. Wilson campaign had better be careful to not let guard down.

Anonymous wrote:Here are the candidates on the ballot (you pick up to 6). Lots of new names. In-person absentee balloting starts tomorrow.

Alyia Smith-Parker Gaskins - Unsure
Patrick B. Moran - No
R. Kirk McPike - Maybe
John Taylor Chapman (incumbent) - Yes
James C. Lewis, Jr. - Yes, thrilled he is running.
Amy B. Jackson (incumbent) - Yes
Canek Aguirre (incumbent) - HELL NO!
William E. “Bill” Campbell - Unsure
Sarah R. Bagley - No
Kevin J. Harris - Unsure
William C. “Bill” Rossello - Probably
Meronne E. Teklu - Unsure
Mark Leo Shiffer - Probably

40 year resident who is fairly involved in politics but feels a number of these candidates have done little in the way of outreach so it’s hard to select six.

I'm just so happy that Del Pepper is finally leaving - although way past her expiration date.

Anonymous wrote:Here are the candidates on the ballot (you pick up to 6). Lots of new names. In-person absentee balloting starts tomorrow.

Alyia Smith-Parker Gaskins Probably not from the little info I found on her positions, but I don't know enough about her to make a decision yet.
Patrick B. Moran HELL NO; see PP's explanation Re: previous domestic violence and I oppose nepotism in general.
R. Kirk McPike Probably not because he doesn't promote and/or opposes my key issues.
John Taylor Chapman (incumbent) PROBABLY because he's the only incumbent who I can tolerate even though I disagree with him on some issues.
James C. Lewis, Jr. Probably not because he doesn't promote and/or opposes my key issues.
Amy B. Jackson (incumbent) NO, I've heard too many negative things and can't stand the current council in general.
Canek Aguirre (incumbent) NO, I strongly disagree with him on too many issues and can't stand the current council in general.
William E. “Bill” Campbell Probably not because he doesn't promote and/or opposes my key issues.
Sarah R. Bagley Probably not because I couldn't find any info on her.
Kevin J. Harris Probably not because he doesn't promote and/or opposes my key issues.
William C. “Bill” Rossello PROBABLY because he's one of the few who supports my key issues although I disagree with him on some other issues.
Meronne E. Teklu MAYBE but I don't know enough about her positions to make a decision yet. Her website isn't clear on where she stands on some of my key issues although it appears that she supports some of them.
Mark Leo Shiffer PROBABLY because he's one of the few who supports my key issues although I disagree with him on some other issues.

I've lived in Alexandria (Old Town) for almost 15 years, and the choice of candidates seems to get worse and worse with every election. They may be a bit better this election than the previous election, but still pretty bad. As distasteful as I find the options, I still vote in every primary and general election for the candidates who I find to be the least objectionable.

In addition, all three candidates for mayor are undesirable for different reasons. I met and spoke at length with Justin Wilson at a private event while he was campaigning during the previous election. At the time, I knew one of his major supporters -- but I have a very low opinion of that person so their support reflects negatively on him for me -- and I also knew one of his coworkers who advised voting against him based on knowing him well. While he has a few positive attributes -- he does seem to be very accessible via social media and to put in a lot of time -- he also has some negative attributes and I disagree with him on too many issues -- especially the handful of issues that are most important to me and that most directly affect me. Therefore, I'll probably vote for one of the other candidates as a protest vote with the expectation that he'll win, but I would like to see it be by as small a margin as possible to send a message of dissatisfaction.

This year may be the last year that I vote in Alexandria because the mayor and council's policies are making me seriously consider leaving the city. And, no, I am not a member of the "infamous" FB group -- I've heard them mentioned by people who oppose them, but I'm not familiar with their positions and I don't know which council candidates they're supporting -- I'm just dissatisfied with how the city has been managed. When I first moved here, I thought it was great, but it has changed a lot in 15 years and there are a lot of problems that I wasn't aware of for the first five to 10 years.

Isn't Moran the guy who was convicted of beating his girlfriend? How could he possibly think anyone would vote for him?

Here are the candidates on the ballot (you pick up to 6). Lots of new names. In-person absentee balloting starts tomorrow.

Alyia Smith-Parker Gaskins
Patrick B. Moran
R. Kirk McPike
John Taylor Chapman (incumbent)
James C. Lewis, Jr.
Amy B. Jackson (incumbent)
Canek Aguirre (incumbent)
William E. “Bill” Campbell
Sarah R. Bagley
Kevin J. Harris
William C. “Bill” Rossello
Meronne E. Teklu
Mark Leo Shiffer