Roanoke Pastor, a Former City Council Candidate, Faces Felony Election Fraud Charges

Former Roanoke City Council candidate Jamaal Jackson was indicted by a grand jury last week and faces four felony counts of election fraud.

Jackson, who ran as a Democrat in 2024, dropped out of a party primary after questions arose over campaign-related filings.

Jackson “on or about March 17, 2024, in the city of Roanoke, did unlawfully and feloniously commit election fraud by willfully making a material false statement on a form required by title 24.2 of the code of Virginia,” according to the indictments.

He is lead pastor at ReFreshing Church, which Jackson founded and which in February purchased a large, historic church on Carroll Avenue Northwest.

Jackson was released on a $1,500 bond according to court records. He reported on a bail form that he is self employed and makes $500 a week.

Jackson could face jail time and fines. He texted Tuesday that questions should be directed to his attorney, Cathy Reynolds. She could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

On the day of the 2024 primary, June 18, Jackson stopped by the main city election office at 5 p.m. and officially withdrew from the race, Andrew Cochran, Roanoke’s registrar at the time, reported that day.

Jackson had announced in May of 2024 that he would withdraw from the race — but then didn’t and went silent — after city officials received an email alleging that his campaign improperly copied voter signatures obtained during his unsuccessful 2022 bid for council onto 2024 paperwork.

Cochran referred the complaint to law enforcement and said Jackson also did not have enough qualified signatures to appear on the primary ballot to begin with. Due to the circumstances, his name stayed on the primary ballot. He lost the primary, placing last among four candidates for three party nominations.

When Jackson ran for a city council seat in 2022, he was fined $3,100 by the registrar's office for finance reporting issues. Jackson contested that.

An April 24 hearing is scheduled for the fraud charges.

Jackson is the second candidate to be charged with election fraud in the region in recent months. Blacksburg Town Councilman Liam Watson, who previously worked for the state Democratic Party, faces charges for place of residence listed on campaign filings when he ran in 2023 and was elected to the council as a write-in. Watson’s jury trial is set for July 14.