Election 2024: Our Complete Coverage of Roanoke Mayoral and City Council Races

Welcome to The Rambler’s compendium of the 2024 races for Roanoke mayor and City Council. We’ll continue to update this page with stories through the election, and hope you’ll find all the information you need to make an informed decision.

Early voting began Friday, Sept. 20 and ends Saturday, Oct. 26. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Roanoke residents will see three names for mayor on their ballot: Joe Cobb, running as a Democrat, Stephanie Moon Reynolds, running as an independent, and David Bowers, running as a Republican.

For Roanoke City Council, voters have up to three choices for three open seats: Jim Garrett and Nick Hagen are running as Republicans, Evelyn Powers and Cathy Reynolds are running as independents, and Terry McGuire, Phazhon Nash and Benjamin Woods are running as Democrats.

Since our founding in 2021, The Rambler has been providing the most comprehensive news coverage of municipal elections. In the coming weeks, we’ll be posting in-depth interviews with each of the candidates.

Happy reading!

Cobb Leads Roanoke Mayor's Race By Double Digits, Roanoke College Poll Shows (Oct. 30)

Vice Mayor Joe Cobb leads Roanoke’s mayoral race by double digits over former mayor David Bowers and Councilwoman Stephanie Moon Reynolds, according to a new poll from Roanoke College co-sponsored by The Roanoke Rambler. Cobb, the Democratic nominee, stood at 50 percent of likely voters’ choice, followed by Republican nominee Bowers with 26 percent and independent Moon Reynolds with 18 percent, according to the poll. Another 5 percent of voters were undecided.

3 in 4 Roanoke Voters Say New Council Should Pick Next City Manager: Roanoke College Poll (Oct. 30)

Nearly three in four Roanoke residents think the City Council elected next week should appoint Roanoke’s new city manager, according to a poll from Roanoke College co-sponsored by The Roanoke Rambler. The poll found 74 percent of likely voters believe the incoming Council should pick Roanoke’s next top administrative official, who will take over following the forced resignation of Bob Cowell in June. The poll gauged voters on a variety of local issues, including on a recent policy that ended single-family-only zoning and on the potential for development of Evans Spring.

'He Genuinely Cares': Joe Cobb, Proudly Spiritual and Gay, Sees Progress in Roanoke Mayor Bid (Oct. 23)

Vice Mayor Joe Cobb, 62, is now seeking to succeed Mayor Sherman Lea, dropping that “vice” from his honorary title, which he first earned in 2018 in his inaugural City Council campaign by winning the most votes. Though Roanoke trends Democratic, this may be Cobb’s toughest race yet as he faces two opponents with longtime name recognition who could split the vote. An openly gay and deeply spiritual man, Cobb has focused his Council efforts on two of Roanoke’s thorniest issues: gun violence and public transportation.

An Independent Streak Since Childhood, Stephanie Moon Reynolds Seeks Mayoral History (Oct. 16)

Stephanie Moon Reynolds, 66, a longtime city clerk who is finishing her first term on Roanoke City Council, is trying to notch a historic doubleheader by becoming Roanoke’s first woman mayor, and the first Black woman mayor, at that. Moon Reynolds, who won a Council seat in 2020 after losing a contested Democratic primary that took place online just as the pandemic shut down public gatherings, has been fiercely independent on Council. Some local political leaders believe that Moon Reynolds’s mayoral campaign could act as a spoiler that prevents one of the party-aligned candidates from winning.

'I'm Still the Same David Bowers': Former Roanoke Mayor Tries New Approach in Comeback Bid (Oct. 9)

Forty years after he was first elected to Roanoke City Council, David Bowers is again running for mayor. This election marks Bowers' seventh mayoral election. He won in 1992, 1996, 2008 and 2012, while losing in 2000 and 2020. That doesn't count his successful runs for City Council between before 1992, or his unsuccessful runs for council since then. Even in Bowers' lengthy political career, though, this year marks a first: 2024 is the first time Bowers has run as a Republican

David Bowers, Roanoke Mayoral Candidate, on Police Pay, Zoning Reforms, and Why He Thinks Roanoke Isn't Segregated (Oct. 23)

We sit down with David Bowers, Republican nominee for Roanoke mayor.

Joe Cobb, Roanoke Mayoral Candidate, on Tackling Gun Violence, Boosting Housing, and Why He Owns 54 Bow Ties (Oct. 23)

We sit down with Joe Cobb, Democratic nominee for Roanoke mayor.

Stephanie Moon Reynolds, Roanoke Mayoral Candidate, on Debt, Amazon Jobs, and Why She Spurns the Gun Violence Panel (Oct. 23)

We sit down with Stephanie Moon Reynolds, an independent candidate for Roanoke mayor.

Jim Garrett, Roanoke City Council Candidate, Answers Our 9 Burning Questions for 2024 (Oct. 16)

We sit down with Jim Garrett, one of the Republican nominees for Roanoke City Council.

Nick Hagen, Roanoke City Council Candidate, Answers Our 9 Burning Questions for 2024 (Oct. 16)

We sit down with Nick Hagen, one of the Republican nominees for Roanoke City Council.

Evelyn Powers, Roanoke City Council Candidate, Answers Our 9 Burning Questions for 2024 (Oct. 16)

We sit down with Evelyn Powers, an independent candidate for Roanoke City Council.

Cathy Reynolds, Roanoke City Council Candidate, Answers Our 9 Burning Questions for 2024 (Oct. 16)

We sit down with Cathy Reynolds, an independent candidate for Roanoke City Council.

Terry McGuire, Roanoke City Council Candidate, Answers Our 9 Burning Questions for 2024 (Oct. 9)

We sit down with Terry McGuire, one of the Democratic nominees for Roanoke City Council.

Phazhon Nash, Roanoke City Council Candidate, Answers Our 9 Burning Questions for 2024 (Oct. 9)

We sit down with Phazhon Nash, one of the Democratic nominees for Roanoke City Council.

Benjamin Woods, Roanoke City Council Candidate, Answers Our 9 Burning Questions for 2024 (Oct. 9)

We sit down with Benjamin Woods, one of the Democratic nominees for Roanoke City Council.

Roanoke Mayor's Race Heats Up As Candidates Trade Barbs on Single-Family Zoning, Racism (Oct. 2)

Roanoke’s mayoral campaign has grown spirited as three candidate forums in the last week were marked by feisty exchanges over policy and groan-inducing remarks on racism.

Roanoke Council Democrats Show Support for Independent Candidate Over Party Nominee (Sept. 25)

Some Democrats on Roanoke City Council are expressing support for an independent Council candidate over a Democratic nominee, setting up a potential intraparty showdown. 

Roanoke municipal candidates report war chests (Sept. 18)

Early voting begins Friday, and candidates for Roanoke mayor and City Council have reported their summer cash hauls.

Candidate for mayor launches write-in bid (Aug. 14)

A faith leader who runs a national prayer group announced she is running for Roanoke mayor as a write-in candidate.

Roanoke's Revised Zoning Reforms Still Face Pushback — from Plaintiffs and City Council Candidates (July 31)

Debate over the zoning reforms has become a hot-button campaign issue in Roanoke’s municipal elections.

Disparate Roanoke City Council Candidates Find Unity in Bashing Evans Spring Plan (July 24)

All seven candidates for City Council, from Democrats to Republicans to independents, say they don’t agree with the city’s current Evans Spring master plan.

Roanoke Treasurer Runs For City Council As Independent, Jackson Drops Out Officially (June 19)

Evelyn Powers is running for City Council as an independent, while Jamaal Jackson dropped out Tuesday, hours before polls closed in a Democratic primary. Cathy Reynolds, a criminal defense attorney, also qualified to run as an independent ahead of Tuesday’s filing deadline.

Embattled Roanoke Council Candidate Could Still Be Elected As Democratic Nominee (June 12)

Despite last week announcing his withdrawal from the race, Jamaal Jackson has not given formal notice to elections officials about the June 18 contest.

Roanoke Council Candidate Drops Out Weeks Before Primary Amid Review of 'Questionable' Voter Signatures (June 5)

A week after city officials received a complaint alleging an illegal campaign act, Jamaal Jackson said he is dropping out.

Who Are the Democratic Candidates for Roanoke City Council? We Asked Them 4 Questions. (June 5)

Following Jamaal Jackson’s sudden departure from the City Council race, we introduce you to Democratic candidates Terry McGuire, Phazhon Nash and Benjamin Woods.

Future Roanoke City Manager Becomes Flash Point in Campaign for City Council (May 29)

Roanoke’s future leadership has become a campaign flash point as City Manager Bob Cowell and Councilman Luke Priddy leave office next month.

Cobb leads mayoral candidates in cash haul (April 17)

This week marked the first deadline for Roanoke mayoral and City Council candidates to file reports showing how much campaign cash they hauled in for the first three months of the year.

Party candidates finalized for Roanoke City Council (April 10)

Roanoke Democratic and Republican candidates for City Council are official.

Republicans Enter Roanoke City Council Races As Priddy Stuns Party Leaders By Bowing Out (April 3)

Luke Priddy won't seek reelection, while Nick Hagen and Jim Garrett are vying to become the first Republicans on Council in decades.

Roanoke Mayor’s Race Gets Crowded As Moon Reynolds, Bowers Challenge Cobb (March 13)

Roanoke’s mayoral race is now a three-way contest to succeed Sherman Lea. Councilwoman Stephanie Moon Reynolds and former mayor David Bowers have launched campaigns in a challenge to Vice Mayor Joe Cobb.

More Candidates May Mean Council Primary for Democrats (March 13)

Two more Roanoke City Council candidates have filed to run as Democrats, setting up a possible party primary for three open seats. Jamaal “JL” Jackson and Benjamin Woods have both submitted campaign paperwork, according to the voter registrar's office.

McGuire running for Roanoke City Council (Jan. 17)

Environmental advocate Terry McGuire filed paperwork Tuesday to run for Roanoke City Council this year.

Roanoke Vice Mayor Cobb Files To Run For Mayor As Lea, White-Boyd Bow Out of Council Races (Jan. 3)

Joe Cobb is laying the groundwork for a campaign as Mayor Sherman Lea and Councilwoman Trish White-Boyd announce they won’t seek reelection.

Nash says he'll enter '24 race for Roanoke City Council (Dec. 12, 2023)

Phazhon Nash, 24, is the first person to signal his intent to enter the race, whose outcome will determine a majority of seats on Council.