The Ballot Brief
Norfolk city, Virginia

Member School Board, Ward 2

3 candidates are tracked for Member School Board, Ward 2 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Veleka S. Gatling, Michael C. Spencer and Shawn D. Wilkerson, Jr.. Candidate information follows official Norfolk City election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

3 certified candidates for Member School Board, Ward 2 on the November 3, 2026 ballot, 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. Only the seats for your town, ward or district appear on your ballot.

What this office does

School board member. The school board is the governing body of a public school district. It hires and evaluates the superintendent, adopts the district budget, sets policies on curriculum, discipline, attendance boundaries and facilities, and approves contracts and collective bargaining agreements. Day-to-day operations belong to the superintendent; the board sets direction and holds the administration accountable.

Virginia › Norfolk City › Member School Board, Ward 2

Veleka S. Gatling

Independent

Top priorities
  • Student success through inclusive, student-centered instruction
  • Partnering with the community so schools address the needs of the neighborhoods they serve
  • Effective, transparent board governance

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Dr. Veleka S. Gatling serves as Associate Vice President for Community Relations at Old Dominion University and has more than 30 years of K-12 educational leadership experience, per her campaign site. She began as an inclusion teacher in Norfolk Public Schools and advanced through principal roles in Norfolk and Suffolk before serving as an executive director in Virginia Beach City Public Schools, per the same source; she holds a Ph.D. from Virginia Tech.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Michael C. Spencer

Independent

Biography

Michael C. Spencer is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Member School Board, Ward 2, per the Virginia Department of Elections' certified local candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.

Shawn D. Wilkerson, Jr.

Independent

Biography

Shawn D. Wilkerson, Jr. is on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Member School Board, Ward 2, per the Virginia Department of Elections' certified local candidate list. No campaign website was found as of September 7, 2026.

Next on your ballotMember School Board, Ward 3

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Voting info and more

Voting info and more
Questions about this race

Who is running for Member School Board, Ward 2 in 2026?

3 candidates are tracked for Member School Board, Ward 2 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Veleka S. Gatling, Michael C. Spencer and Shawn D. Wilkerson, Jr.. Candidate information follows official Norfolk City election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Member School Board, Ward 2 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 Norfolk 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 Norfolk 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 Norfolk City sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Norfolk city ballot

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

Also on your ballot
Member School Board, Ward 4Member School Board, Ward 5Member City Council, Ward 1See all 10 Norfolk city races
Candidate profiles
Veleka S. Gatling, full profileMichael C. Spencer, full profileShawn D. Wilkerson, Jr., full profileOfficial Virginia election office