City & town

Mayor of Fairfax

Vote for: 1
Term: 2 years
Candidates: 2
Election: Nov 3, 2026

What this office does: The mayor, elected citywide, presides over City Council meetings and represents the City of Fairfax.

Candidates Compare by issue

Kirsten Sides Lockhart

No party listed

Management and strategy consultant; City of Fairfax Planning Commission vice chair

The gist

Proposes new non-property-tax revenue for a balanced budget.
Opposes relying solely on yearly tax increases.
Proposes incentives for activity-center development and pressure on idle owners.
Supports data-driven development review guided by adopted plans.
Supports regional cooperation on transportation and affordable housing.
Pledges to increase resident participation in city decisions.
Supports restoring the mayor's role in setting council agendas.

More about Kirsten

View sources (2)

Proposes new non-property-tax revenue for a balanced budget.
FAQ — Kirsten Lockhart for Fairfax
Campaign website · Lockhart for Fairfax · lockhartforfairfax.com
“Establish a sustainable, balanced budget with a focus on identifying new non-property tax revenue streams.”
Opposes relying solely on yearly tax increases.
FAQ — Kirsten Lockhart for Fairfax
Campaign website · Lockhart for Fairfax · lockhartforfairfax.com
“Year-over-year tax increases should never be the sole solution to addressing the City’s financial health”
Proposes incentives for activity-center development and pressure on idle owners.
FAQ — Kirsten Lockhart for Fairfax
Campaign website · Lockhart for Fairfax · lockhartforfairfax.com
“Incentivize integrated development in activity centers (and de-incentivize stagnancy by pursuing all City recourse options for delinquent or unresponsive property owners).”
Supports data-driven development review guided by adopted plans.
Kirsten Lockhart Puts Communication At Center Of Fairfax City Mayor Bid
Candidate questionnaire · Patch · patch.com
“The City's approach to development needs to be data-driven, risk-informed, and guided by foundational planning and policy documents”
Supports regional cooperation on transportation and affordable housing.
FAQ — Kirsten Lockhart for Fairfax
Campaign website · Lockhart for Fairfax · lockhartforfairfax.com
“continue to pursue regionalization efforts with surrounding localities (Fairfax County, Town of Vienna, etc.), particularly with regard to transportation, affordable housing”
Pledges to increase resident participation in city decisions.
FAQ — Kirsten Lockhart for Fairfax
Campaign website · Lockhart for Fairfax · lockhartforfairfax.com
“Increase City resident participation in decision-making via all tools and channels available.”
Supports restoring the mayor's role in setting council agendas.
FAQ — Kirsten Lockhart for Fairfax
Campaign website · Lockhart for Fairfax · lockhartforfairfax.com
“the incoming Council returns the authority of the Mayor to work with the City Manager and City staff to generate effective and efficient meeting agendas”

Thomas D. "Tom" Peterson

No party listed

Fairfax City Council member; president and CEO, The Center for Climate Strategies

The gist

Pledges to avoid excessive debt and unnecessary tax increases.
Voted to raise the meals tax from 4% to 4.5%.
Opposes projects whose height, density or traffic outweigh benefits.
Supports full impact studies before zoning for planned growth.
Voted for by-right detached accessory dwelling units.
Voted to cancel the George Snyder Trail project.
Supports prioritizing sales tax revenue for school construction.
Opposed early Willard-Sherwood approvals; later backed construction.

More about Thomas

View sources (3)

Pledges to avoid excessive debt and unnecessary tax increases.
Tom Peterson Puts Cost Of Living At Center Of Fairfax City Mayor Bid
Candidate questionnaire · Patch · patch.com
“avoiding excessive debt and unnecessary tax increases, and finding more cost-effective ways to meet our needs”
Voted to raise the meals tax from 4% to 4.5%.
How Four Fairfax Candidates Voted On Taxes, Trails, Housing And Willard-Sherwood
News coverage · Patch · patch.com
“Amos and Peterson voted yes; Hall and McQuillen voted no.”
Opposes projects whose height, density or traffic outweigh benefits.
Tom Peterson Puts Cost Of Living At Center Of Fairfax City Mayor Bid
Candidate questionnaire · Patch · patch.com
“I would oppose or seek significant changes to projects whose excessive height, density, scale, traffic impacts or design outweigh their benefits”
Supports full impact studies before zoning for planned growth.
Tom Peterson Puts Cost Of Living At Center Of Fairfax City Mayor Bid
Candidate questionnaire · Patch · patch.com
“Before development at anything approaching that scale is enabled through zoning, we need current and complete analysis”
Voted for by-right detached accessory dwelling units.
How Four Fairfax Candidates Voted On Taxes, Trails, Housing And Willard-Sherwood
News coverage · Patch · patch.com
“Amos and Peterson supported the ordinance; Hall and McQuillen opposed it.”
Voted to cancel the George Snyder Trail project.
How Four Fairfax Candidates Voted On Taxes, Trails, Housing And Willard-Sherwood
News coverage · Patch · patch.com
“Hall, McQuillen and Peterson then joined Billy Bates in voting to cancel the project.”
Supports prioritizing sales tax revenue for school construction.
Fairfax City seeks voter referendum on sales tax to fund school improvements
News coverage · FFXnow · ffxnow.com
“he would prioritize school renovation and construction”
Opposed early Willard-Sherwood approvals; later backed construction.
How Four Fairfax Candidates Voted On Taxes, Trails, Housing And Willard-Sherwood
News coverage · Patch · patch.com
“Hall and Peterson opposed all six … All four voted in April 2026 to proceed with construction”

Challengers are listed first and incumbents last; otherwise candidates appear in ballot order. The Gist does not rank, rate or endorse candidates. Only positions backed by a cited source are shown; 7 issues covered in this race.