Bill Moody Holds a Narrow Lead for Portsmouth’s Third Council Seat

Bill Moody held a 63-vote lead for Portsmouth’s third council seat after the November 3 election. That small margin leaves the outcome provisional, even as his long experience in government and business continues to shape his approach to the city’s future.

Business experience and city service

Moody’s background includes Air Force service and work in the food-service and healthcare sectors. Serving as Portsmouth’s vice mayor, he has also worked as a council liaison to the Economic Development Authority, a role documented in its February 2025 minutes.

He has emphasized education, public safety and economic development as connected priorities. A stronger business base, in his view, should help sustain schools and the services residents use every day.

The waterfront and the wider city

Moody has identified the waterfront as an important opportunity, including mixed-use development and the future of publicly controlled sites. For a waterfront city, those choices involve both new activity and the public access, services and financial commitments that support it.

He has also emphasized responsiveness and helping residents navigate municipal government. While the final-seat count is reviewed, those subjects provide a clear introduction to the work he hopes to continue. The close election result should be followed alongside the development proposals, budgets and public hearings already before council.

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William E. "Bill" Moody, Jr. received 12,755 votes, placing third in the race for 3 seats. The margin over the next candidate outside the winning positions was 63 votes. The close result remains unsettled. Figures are from Virginia ELECT’s unofficial November 4, 2026, 1:34 p.m. EST export; canvassing and certification remained pending.

Meet the council leaders across seven Hampton Roads cities.