Dave Norris

Dave Norris
Dave Norris (D), ca. 2009
Councilor Charlottesville City Council (2006-2007)
Electoral District	At-Large
Term Start	July 1, 2006
Preceded by	Blake Caravati (D)
Succeeded by	Dave Norris (D)
Councilor/Mayor Charlottesville City Council (2008-2009)
Electoral District	At-Large
Term Start	January 1, 2008
Term End	December 31, 2009
Preceded by	David Brown (D)
Succeeded by	Dave Norris (D)
Councilor/Mayor Charlottesville City Council (2010-2011)
Electoral District	At-Large
Term Start	January 1, 2010
Term End	December 31, 2011
Preceded by	Dave Norris (D)
Succeeded by	Satyendra Huja (D)
Councilor Charlottesville City Council (2010-2011)
Electoral District	At-Large
Term Start	January 1, 2010
Term End	December 31, 2011
Councilor Charlottesville City Council (2012-2013)
Electoral District	At-Large
Term Start	January 1, 2012
Term End	December 31, 2013
Preceded by	Dave Norris (D)
Succeeded by	Bob Fenwick (D)
Biographical Information
Date of birth	May 19, 1970 Age 54
Place of birth	Fort Belvoir, VA
Children	3
Residence	Belmont Neighborhood
Alma mater	Curry College B.A. in Politics & History College of William and Mary M.A. in Government
Profession	Non-Profit Employee (PACEM)
Website	http://www.votefordave.org
Campaign $	VPAP
Contributions $	VPAP

David M. Norris (born May 19, 1970) is the executive direct of the Charlottesville Area Association of Realtors Foundation. He also served two terms as the 35th Mayor of Charlottesville from January 2008 until December 2011.

Norris also ran for the Democratic nomination for Virginia House District 54 in the General Assembly in the 2023 election.

Early life and education

David M. Norris was born into a military family at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, grew up in Stuttgart, Germany, and in Northern Virginia. Norris graduated from high school in Stuttgart, Germany, and later attended Curry College in Massachusetts, where he received a bachelor’s of art degree in politics and history. Norris attended College of William & Mary, where he received a master’s in government in 1997.

Norris moved to Charlottesville in 1995.

2023 General Assembly race (House of Delegates District 54)

The 54th Virginia House district encompasses all of Charlottesville and parts of Albemarle County. Virginia districts were redrawn and approved by the Virginia Supreme Court in 2021 — in the previous years, the majority of Charlottesville was represented by the 57th District. Members of the Virginia House of Delegates do not have term limits and each term lasts two years.

In January 2023, Norris announced he is making his return to politics.

Norris said that after Sally Hudson announced she was running for the state senate, he knew her old seat could be a way for him to continue his community service. Hudson announced in November she would not be running for another term and would instead run for the state Senate seat in the 11th District, long represented by Democratic state Sen. Creigh Deeds as part of the redistricted 25th District.

On primary day, Norris received 4,118 votes to 5,847 for Katrina Callsen who would go on to be elected in the fall. Bellamy Brown placed third with 2,391 percent of the votes.

Norris faced three other primary challengers Democrats David Brown, Katrina Callsen and Dashad Cooper. General elections take place November 7, 2023.

Candidates	Votes	%
Katrina Callsen (D)	5,847	47.3%
Dave Norris (D)	4,118	33.3%
Bellamy Brown (D)	2,391	19.4%
Source: Virginia Department of Elections

Top campaign donors

Based on Virginia Department of Elections data from campaign finance reports. $21,607 Starting Balance on April 1, 2023.

Top campaign donors
$10,000	John Norris
$5,000	Charlottesville Parking Center
$5,000	Clean Virginia Fund
$1,500	Virginia Realtors
$1,000	Michael Osteen
$750	Dede Smith
$333	Democratic Party - Charlottesville

Endorsements

According to former Democratic Mayor Dave Norris, who supported Nikuyah Walker’s campaign and encouraged people to vote only for her. (Bullet voting, also know as single-shot, is a voting tactic, usually in multiple-winner elections, where a voter is entitled to vote for more than one candidate, but instead votes for only one candidate.) In the 2017 election, Walker set the record number of votes received by any one candidate in city history and the first time an independent has been elected to the council since 1948.

Career

Wedding Officiant

Norris offers his services as a wedding officiant via his website www.letdavemarryyou.com.

Parking Job

Norris was hired as executive director of the Charlottesville Parking Center in March 2016. He said the lawsuit against the city filed by the CPC earlier that month was a "bump in the road" and he hoped it would be resolved before he began work in June. It was not.

City officials questioned Norris' qualifications to do the job, stating that he did not have six months of experience in parking management.

Non-profit organizations

FOC + Housing Hub

Before the CAAR job, Norris served as the manager of the Financial Opportunity Center (FOC) + Housing Hub at the Piedmont Housing Alliance, a nonprofit group based in Albemarle County that provides housing, counseling, community development and management services to low-income communities.

People and Congregations Engaged in Ministry

Norris is the founding executive director of People and Congregations Engaged in Ministry, an organization that assists people in need find shelter in winter months. Norris has also been employed as executive director of PACEM

Micro Loan Program

Norris is founding coordinator of the Micro Loan Program.

Madison House

Before his time on City Council, Norris served as the Associate Director of Madison House, an independent volunteer center for University of Virginia students. Norris served as a liaison between student volunteers and the community organizations for which they volunteered.

Local Energy Alliance Program

Norris is a founding board member for the Local Energy Alliance Program.

Charlottesville Citizens’ Committee for Environmental Sustainability

Norris is the founding chair of the Charlottesville Citizens’ Committee for Environmental Sustainability.

Public Housing Association of Residents

Norris has served as a member of the Public Housing Association of Residents advisory board. He also has served as Interim Director of the Public Housing Association of Residents (PHAR).

Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority

Norris has served as chair of the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority Board of Commissioners. He also served as Redevelopment Coordinator before taking the job at Piedmont Housing Alliance.

Charlottesville-Winneba Foundation

Norris is a volunteer executive director of the Charlottesville-Winneba Foundation.

The Charlottesville Institute

Toward the end of his time on Council, Norris founded The Charlottesville Institute and served in this role from 2012 to 2013. The organization sought to make connections between the University of Virginia and the greater community. The organization is now defunct.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Blue Ridge

Norris has served as executive director for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Blue Ridge and left that position in June 2011.

Connecting People to Jobs initiative

Norris is a founding director for Connecting People to Jobs initiative and is coordinator for the Virginia Economic Development Corp.’s microloan program.

Piedmont Housing Board

Norris is a former Piedmont Housing Board member.

United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg

Norris completed a three-year stint at United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg where he helped to secure seed funding for the first three Financial Opportunity Centers in Virginia.

Sister Cities

Appointed by City Council, the Charlottesville Sister City Commission is an organizing body devoted to assisting the individual Sister City relationships with community activities and promotion. The City of Charlottesville is an active member of Sister Cities International.

Political career

A former member of the Charlottesville City Council from 2006 to 2013, he was elected President of the Charlottesville City Council by his colleagues on January 7, 2008. As council president, he also served as the mayor of Charlottesville. In January 2010, at the new council's organizational meeting, Norris was again elected council president and served as councilor/mayor until he was succeeded by Satyendra Huja on January 3, 2012.

Elected in 2006 on a progressive platform that prioritized the environment as well as housing, jobs, and education for the disadvantaged. While Norris may be best known for his support of progressive issues, he resists being categorized as far left across the board.

A former member of the Charlottesville City Council from 2006 to 2013, he was unanimously elected President of the Charlottesville City Council by his colleagues in January 2008. As Council President, he served as Mayor of Charlottesville under the city's current council-manager forms of government. In January 2010 he was again elected council president and again served as Councilor/Mayor until he was succeeded by Satyendra Huja on January 3, 2012.

He has also held a variety of leadership positions in the nonprofit sector as well as a stint as General Manager of the Charlottesville Parking Center. Norris also served as Mayor of Charlottesville from 2008 until the end of 2011.

Electorial history

2023 General Assembly race

Norris is a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the House District 54 spot in the June 20, 2023 primary.

Norris filed a statement of organization with the Virginia Department of Elections in January 2023 to run for the Democratic nomination for the House District 54 after Delegate Sally Hudson announced she would seek Senate District 11.

General election

The primary will occur on June 20, 2023. The general election will occur on November 7, 2023.

Democratic primary for Virginia House of Delegates District 54

David Norris, Bellamy Brown and Katrina Callsen ran in the Democratic primary for Virginia House of Delegates District 54 on June 20, 2023.

2009 City Council

Main article: 2009 election

In the 2009 election cycle Norris received the most votes in the Charlottesville's Democratic Party's "unassembled caucus" held on May 9, 2009. Kristin Szakos beat out incumbent Julian Taliaferro as the party's second nominee.

On September 25, The Sierra Club endorsed Norris along with independent opponent Bob Fenwick.

2006 City Council

Main article: 2006 election

The 2006 City Council election was Norris' first as a candidate.

City Council

Norris was first elected to Charlottesville City Council in the 2006 election and again in the 2009 election. Council elected him to a second term as Mayor at their first meeting in 2010 but only after Norris nominated Councilor Holly Edwards. Edwards declined the position but did agree to be vice mayor.

Norris announced in late January 2013 that he would not seek a third term to Council.

On July 2, 2007, Norris was the lone vote against a resolution to state that the Meadow Creek Parkway Interchange was consistent with the city's Comprehensive Plan.

Tenure

The Crossings at Fourth and Preston

The Crossings at Fourth and Preston, a 60-unit building completed in 2012 with the purpose of providing permanent housing to the homeless. “I fought for several years to get a housing fund established in the city budget, and ultimately succeeded”

Committee assignments

After being elected in 2006, Norris was appointed to serve on the MPO Policy Board, an assignment he held until 2010.

In 2011 and 2012, Norris represented the City on the now defunct Planning and Coordination Council and the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority. However, he left the CRHA committee in January 2013.

Candidate Profile Resources Candidate Dave Norris (D) - Challenger * WINNER Office Charlottesville City Council Election year 2006 election Candidate interviews by Charlottesville Tomorrow Candidate interview transcript Candidate interview audio <mp3player>http://www.cvillepedia.org/mediawiki/images/Norris_interview.MP3</mp3player> Source website

Candidates Votes % David M. "Dave" Norris (D) 3,947 38.65 Julian H. Taliaferro (D) 3,745 36.67 Robert S. Schilling (R) incumbent 2,460 24.09 Write-In 60 0.59 Source: Virginia State Board of Elections Voters could cast two votes, one for each of the two seats available, hence the percentages do not total 100%.

2009 City Council election

Candidate Profile Resources Candidate Dave Norris (D) - Incumbent * WINNER Office Charlottesville City Council Election year 2006 election Candidate interviews by Charlottesville Tomorrow Candidate interview transcript Candidate interview audio <mp3player>http://www.cvillepedia.org/mediawiki/images/20090903-norris-interview.mp3</mp3player> Source website	Candidates Votes % Dave Norris (D) incumbent 6,300 38.7 Kristin Szakos (D) 5,083 31.2 Bob Fenwick (I) 3,293 20.2 Paul Long (I) 1,214 7.5 Andrew Williams (I, write-in) 237 1.5 Other Write-In 141 0.9 Source: City of Charlottesville Overall voter turnout for City of Charlottesville in this election was 37.31%. Each voter could vote for up to two candidates.

Postcards

Norris maintains a collection of local Vintage Postcards.

From David Norris' blog:

"...a circa-1909, pre-Sacagawea, Lewis and Clark Statue image of the intersection of Ridge and Main Streets, featuring the old Midway High School (where Midway Manor now stands)"

Awards

For his extensive record of leadership and service to the Charlottesville community, Norris was named one of the "Distinguished Dozen" by the Charlottesville Daily Progress for 2005. He is also the founder of the Charlottesville Vegetarian Festival.

Personal life

Norris resides in the Belmont neighborhood of Charlottesville and is a parent of three children: Eli, Chloe, and Ben. David M. Norris was born into a military family at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, grew up in Stuttgart, Germany, and in Northern Virginia. His father’s career in the military took Norris and his family overseas. Norris graduated from high school in Stuttgart, Germany, and later attended Curry College in Massachusetts, where he received a bachelor’s of art degree in politics and history. Curry College is a private, four-year, liberal arts-based institution located on a wooded 131-acre campus in Milton, Massachusetts, just seven miles from downtown Boston. For its 111th Commencement, the Valedictorian of the Class of 1990 was David M. Norris. Another graduate that year, Robert “Buddy” Lazier, who also received a B.A. degree, would in 1996, win the Indianapolis Auto Race. Norris attended College of William & Mary, where he received a master’s in government in 1997.

External Links

• Charlottesville Institute for University-Community Engagement
• Vote for Dave
• Facebook profile page
• Blog

Media appearances

• Appearance on Feb. 23, 2011 edition of WINA's Charlottesville--Right Now!