Kirsten Lockhart Puts Communication At Center Of Fairfax City Mayor Bid

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — Kirsten Lockhart, a candidate for mayor of Fairfax City, says communication is the most pressing issue facing voters, arguing that residents need better ways to communicate not only with city government but also with one another about development, spending and other priorities.

“The single most pressing issue facing City of Fairfax voters is communication,” Lockhart said in her response to Patch’s candidate questionnaire. “Obviously, residents need accessible mechanisms for communicating with their representative government, and government itself must be relentless in pursuing all avenues for communication with residents.”

Lockhart said her visits to neighborhoods across the city have also convinced her that residents need better ways to communicate with one another about issues such as development and spending priorities. She said some of the work of examining data and building consensus could occur at the neighborhood level if the city encourages participation and models open collaboration.

Lockhart has served on the Fairfax City Planning Commission since March 2021 and has worked in management and strategy consulting, primarily with federal and defense clients, since 2006. She said she is running for mayor in part to bring what she described as greater analytic rigor to city decision-making and improve working relationships among elected officials, city staff, boards and commissions, residents and subject-matter experts.

Lockhart is running for Fairfax City mayor in the Nov. 3 general election against Top Peterson.Patch invited the candidates to share their backgrounds, priorities and views on issues facing Fairfax City through its campaign questionnaire. Lockhart’s responses follow below.

Your Name

Kirsten Lockhart

Position sought (Mayor of Fairfax City)

Mayor of City of Fairfax

Age (as of Nov. 3, 2026)

[No response submitted]

Campaign Website

lockhartforfairfax.com

Have you been endorsed by a political party or aligned yourself with a group of candidates in the 2026 Fairfax City elections? Select the answer that best describes your campaign. If both apply, select Other and explain.

I have been named as "recommended" candidate by the City of Fairfax Democratic committee. I have not sought or requested any endorsements or alignment.

Please identify any party endorsements or candidate groups referenced in your previous answer. How would these relationships affect your service as mayor of Fairfax City?

As mentioned, I have not sought or requested any endorsement or recommendation. I do not have a party affiliation, personally or as a candidate. As mayor, I look forward to working collaboratively with the duly elected Council, regardless of their personal politics or alignment.

How would you work with City Council members and residents whose political views differ from yours?

There is no need for 100% ideological agreement on all things across the dais for that same deliberative body to discuss the relative merits of a project or issue and make decisions based on data and comprehensive public engagement. I hope all elected officials arrive prepared to work together respectfully and productively to achieve the best possible outcomes for City of Fairfax residents; similarly, I hope all City residents feel heard and respected when bringing concerns to their elected officials, and are willing to engage respectfully in return.

Family

[No response submitted]

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My husband and I are both consultants working with federal government clients.

Education

High School: Thomas Jefferson HS for Science & Technology. College: University of Virginia

Occupation

I have worked in Management & Strategy Consulting, predominately for federal and defense clients, since January 2006 (20+ years of experience)

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Political Office

Planning Commissioner, City of Fairfax (March 2021 - present)

Why are you running for mayor of Fairfax City?

In my five-plus years as a Planning Commissioner, I have become increasingly dismayed with the caliber of the discourse amongst and from the City's elected officials. As a process-oriented person both by nature and professional experience, I want to bring analytic rigor to the City's decision-making processes and restore respectful and productive working relationships between elected government and the City staff, board and commission members, residents, and subject matter experts who all contribute their knowledge and expertise toward making recommendations that shape our future. My motivation in running for elected office is not making my personal opinions known on the dais, but rather that I am in a position to use my personal and professional skill sets to ensure that residents are heard and that Council is successful in its mission of service to the City. I am a public servant, not a politician, and that distinction is why I will be an effective mayor of the City of Fairfax.

What do you see as the primary role of the Mayor? How will you achieve that goal?

I believe the top-priority role of the Mayor is capably representing the best interests of the City as a member of regional and state collaborative bodies, including the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments; the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and Northern Virginia Transportation Authority; and the Northern Virginia Regional Commission. The Mayor's informed, proactive participation in these organizations helps ensure that the City is receiving the information it needs to make decisions within the broader context of the region. That said, the relative success of any Mayor in this role is closely tied to the ability of the City Council and staff to work collaboratively and efficiently to synthesize information, resident feedback, and foundational City guidance into actionable plans, priorities, and commitments. This is why a top-priority goal for me as Mayor is establishing and maintaining a productive, goal-aligned team dynamic across all City stakeholders.

The single most pressing issue facing voters is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing City of Fairfax voters is communication, Obviously, residents need accessible mechanisms for communicating with their representative government, and government itself must be relentless in pursuing all avenues for communication with residents. But what I have learned visiting neighborhoods all over the City this year is that residents also need better ways to communicate with each other about issues like development and spending priorities. I think a lot of the data discovery and consensus-building work necessary for effective and equitable government decision-making can actually happen at the neighborhood level, provided City government is simultaneously modeling open and honest collaboration and has incentivized/removed barriers to resident participation.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidate seeking this post?

I would prefer that Patch readers visit our respective campaign websites and examine our City government voting records to draw their own conclusions on this question.

What has the current mayor and City Council done well, and what would you change? Please give specific examples.

[No response submitted]

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

[No response submitted]

What approach should Fairfax City take to new development and redevelopment? What types of projects would you support or oppose, and how would you balance housing needs and economic growth with concerns about traffic, infrastructure and neighborhood character?

The City's approach to development needs to be data-driven, risk-informed, and guided by foundational planning and policy documents (the City's Comprehensive Plan, Small Area Plans, and subordinate Master Plans) that have been developed and vetted through countless hours of staff, board and commission, and resident time and expertise. Our evaluation approach must be as clear and repeatable as possible in order to combat a historical perception of capriciousness or just procedural difficulty in getting to a decision. As we work towards (re)establishing this evaluatory framework, I would continue to advocate for the City to collect data on key impact indicators including traffic, stormwater management, and commercial and residential vacancy rates.

In general, as a resident, Planning Commissioner, and candidate for office, I would hope that the City achieves a near-to-mid-term development portfolio that provides a mix of housing types, including affordable and accessible units; preserves and develops new commercial space at a scale that maintains our favorable occupancy rates for small businesses and start-ups in particular; and prioritizes the community amenities (trees, parks and recreation facilities, and walkable neighborhoods) that have always made the City of Fairfax an outstanding place to live. I believe this goal is achievable through consistent application of the aforementioned planning criteria as well as proactive "marketing" of the City of Fairfax as a great place to start and grow businesses, enter into public-private partnerships, or otherwise invest in smart growth.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

[No response submitted]

The best advice ever shared with me was:

"You are master of the unspoken word." (Thanks, Mom!)

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I happily invite Patch readers to learn more about me, my background, and my specific policy positions at lockhartforfairfax.com

Also See ...

• 6 Fairfax Candidates Team Up Around A 'Common Ground' Pledge
• Fairfax City Democrats Recommend Lockhart For Mayor, Four Council Candidates
• Fairfax City Voters Now Know November Choices For U.S. Senate