Virginia Beach staff recommend up to $200,000 for voter-education campaign on November charter referendum

Tiffany Russell, the City of Virginia Beach communications director, told the City Council at a May 13 special session that her office has developed a paid-media plan of about $200,000 to educate residents about a charter-change referendum that will appear on the November 2025 ballot.

Russell said the recommended mix emphasizes YouTube pre-roll video to begin this summer, followed by direct mail timed for early September once the ballot question is finalized. "This will help us educate and inform residents on the referendum question," Russell said, and she estimated the proposed paid buy would generate about one million impressions at roughly $0.21 per view.

The plan presented to council included approximately 350,000 direct-mail pieces for an estimated $182,000; streaming and traditional radio buys; and printed brochures translated into Spanish and Tagalog for distribution at community events, libraries and recreation centers. Russell said direct mail lists would be based on the January 2025 registered-voter roll and that the city could either mail to each registered voter individually or to households.

Councilmembers pressed staff for more cost detail. "Can we get that information before deciding?" asked Councilmember Jennifer (member, Virginia Beach City Council). Russell agreed to provide a comparison of the per‑household cost versus per‑voter cost, estimating the household approach would likely be substantially less (she said cordoning the per‑voter approach could nearly double direct‑mail costs).

Council direction and other discussion

Council members expressed three recurring preferences during the discussion: 1) reduce direct‑mail cost by mailing per household unless council directs otherwise; 2) ask the Virginia Beach School Board whether it will share any cost for materials that relate to school elections or education; and 3) receive sample materials in advance so the council can review and provide feedback before any paid outreach is released. "I would ask that anything that goes out to the public is approved by the council before it's launched," said Councilmember Stacy (member, Virginia Beach City Council).

Russell said the communications office will also use existing no‑cost channels and partner with civic leagues, faith leaders, chambers of commerce and the city's public‑engagement liaisons to reach residents. She noted the communications team already plans to translate collateral and to work with Nancy Bloom's team to engage faith communities and other civic groups.

What is on the ballot and timing

Russell reminded council that the body passed a resolution on May 6 to place the referendum question on the ballot. The city will finalize the ballot language by mid‑August; Russell said direct mail would be timed for early September so it arrives before early voting begins in mid‑September.

What the city will not do yet

Councilmembers and staff emphasized that the presentation concerned taxpayer-funded public education — not advocacy for a position — and that any paid advertising proposed would return to the council for review of creative and messaging before release. No new ordinance or binding expenditure was approved at the May 13 briefing; council's action to place the question on the ballot had already occurred with the May 6 resolution.

Next steps

Russell said staff will provide the requested cost comparison (per‑household vs. per‑voter), share sample creative for council review, and deliver a full communications plan that incorporates both paid and no‑cost outreach. She also said staff will coordinate with the elections office and seek appropriate voter lists if council decides to fund the paid media buy.

Ending

Council did not vote on any new appropriation at the May 13 briefing. Staff will return with the cost breakdowns and sample materials ahead of any decision on a paid advertising budget.