Vice Mayor Amy Jackson 1 Of 2 City Council Members Running For Mayor

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Vice Mayor Amy Jackson made her run for Alexandria mayor official over the weekend.

Jackson, a graduate of Alexandria public schools who was first elected to Alexandria City Council in 2018, is serving her first term as vice mayor. The position of mayor is up for grabs, as Mayor Justin Wilson indicated he would not run for re-election. Jackson is planning an official campaign kickoff on Jan. 21.

Jackson said she and other city leaders have already made progress on initiatives like collective bargaining agreements with police, fire and trade employees, more climate-friendly transit improvements, the Potomac Yard Metro station opening, the start of the Landmark Mall transformation, plans to open the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus, activating the waterfront, establishing internet provider competition, improving pedestrian access and outdoor dining on King Street and getting the combined sewer outfalls project near completion.

"As your Mayor, I will continue to build on the accomplishments of prior councils, while concentrating on what matters most to our community, such as crime prevention; education programming and fair teacher compensation, improving our infrastructure with building/modernizing more schools; economic development opportunities (particularly growing our business community which will help alleviate the tax burden on our individual citizens); and striving to provide more affordable housing for our residents while maintaining the unique neighborhoods that make our city so culturally rich and aesthetically pleasing," said Jackson in the campaign announcement on Saturday. "My mission is to optimize all of these areas with laser-focus and continuing the work that proves Alexandria is innovative, future-thinking and keeps us moving forward for the benefit of all."

Jackson is one of two incumbent Democratic City Council members seeking election to the mayoral position. Alexandria City Council member Alyia Gaskins also announced a campaign for mayor.

Jackson has served on local and regional boards like the City Manager’s Quality of Life Committee, City Corps Council, Inova Alexandria Hospital Task Force, Eisenhower Partnership Board of Directors, Combined Sewer Outfall Project Review Team Workgroup, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Chesapeake Bay Policy Committee, Potomac Watershed Roundtable, Gang Prevention Community Task Force, and the Children, Youth and Families Collaborative Commission. Before joining City Council, Jackson had been appointed to the Alexandria Commission for Women and the Alexandria Landlord and Tenant Relations Commission.

The Democratic primary for mayor and City Council is scheduled for June 18, 2024.