The Ballot Brief
Newport News city, Virginia

Mayor, Newport News City

3 candidates are tracked for Mayor, Newport News City on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Sharon P. Scott, Phillip D. Jones and Phillip A. Hamilton. Candidate information follows official Newport News City election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

3 certified candidates for Mayor, Newport News City on the November 3, 2026 ballot; Phillip D. Jones is listed as the incumbent by the Department of Elections, per the Virginia Department of Elections' certified local candidate list (updated September 3, 2026). Virginia local offices are nonpartisan on the ballot unless a candidate was nominated by a party; the number of seats filled and the district lines come from the locality's own ballot.

What this office does

Mayor. The mayor is the city's chief elected official. In a strong-mayor city the mayor runs the city government, prepares the budget and appoints department heads; in a council-manager city the mayor presides over the council and a hired manager runs operations. Which model applies depends on the city charter.

This race. The sitting officeholder, Phillip D. Jones, is on the ballot.

Virginia › Newport News City › Mayor, Newport News City

Sharon P. Scott

Independent

Top priorities
  • Increase the supply of affordable housing and protect renters.
  • Expand childcare access and maternal health services for families.
  • Make city government more transparent with open community forums.

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Sharon P. Scott served on the Newport News City Council representing the North District from 2002 to 2022, chaired the Newport News/Williamsburg Airport Commission, and was appointed by two Virginia governors to the Virginia Design-Build Review Management Board, per a WAVY-TV candidate questionnaire. She holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Phoenix and is president of SPS Professionals, Inc., and now works as a real estate agent with Black Lion Realty, per the Daily Press.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)
Phillip D. Jones

Phillip D. Jones

Independent Incumbent

Top priorities
  • Continuing to reduce crime and build safer neighborhoods
  • Expanding affordable housing for working families
  • Economic development and job creation

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Phillip D. Jones, the current mayor of Newport News, is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former Marine Corps infantry officer who holds graduate degrees from Harvard University, per his campaign site. He is seeking reelection in the November 2026 election.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Phillip A. Hamilton

Independent

Top priorities
  • Reduce real estate, personal property and meals and prepared food tax rates, and seek state approval to limit real estate tax assessment increases.
  • Fund core city services such as education, public safety, transportation and infrastructure before expanding entertainment and tourism offerings.
  • Require a public hearing in each city election district before any data center proposal is considered.

Per the Daily Press/Virginian-Pilot candidate questionnaire.

Biography

Phillip A. Hamilton is retired from Newport News Public Schools and the Virginia House of Delegates, where he represented the 93rd district from 1988 to 2009, per a Daily Press/Virginian-Pilot candidate questionnaire. He holds a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Richmond and a master's degree in education administration and supervision from William & Mary. No campaign website was found as of September 27, 2026.

Next on your ballotMember School Board - At Large, Newport News City

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Voting info and more

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Questions about this race

Who is running for Mayor, Newport News City in 2026?

3 candidates are tracked for Mayor, Newport News City on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Sharon P. Scott, Phillip D. Jones and Phillip A. Hamilton. Candidate information follows official Newport News City election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Mayor, Newport News City election in Virginia?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Virginia are on the Virginia election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Newport News city ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Newport News city and state election office filings. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Virginia election office, or see the full Newport News City sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Newport News city ballot

8 tracked races in Newport News city, Virginia. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot
Member City Council - Seat B, Central DistrictMember City Council - Seat B, North DistrictMember City Council - Seat B, South DistrictSee all 8 Newport News city races
Candidate profiles
Sharon P. Scott, full profilePhillip D. Jones, full profilePhillip A. Hamilton, full profileOfficial Virginia election office