A.J. Harpold

About this race

Your city's legislative body. Passes local ordinances, sets the city budget and property-tax rate, and makes zoning and development decisions; often hires the city manager.

5 candidates ran for Salem City Council in the general election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

About A.J. Harpold

Entertainment career, including choreography; planning to open a tea room. Grew up in the Roanoke Valley and recently moved to Salem, according to the Salem Times-Register. She serves on the PTA board at G.W. Carver Elementary School and plans to open the Gilded Rose Tea Room in a historic East Calhoun Street home.

What they say they'll focus on:

• Streamlining the process for opening a small business
• More activities for young people, possibly a teen center

Summarized in our words from source 1, source 2, checked October 2026. Not an endorsement.

Where they stand

We place candidates only from a published academic score (from a voting record or campaign donors) or from enough of their own statements on policy, and we haven't found either for A.J. Harpold that we can reliably source yet.

We haven't found a campaign site or candidate questionnaire for A.J. Harpold yet. What they say they'll focus on is listed above.

Compare everyone in this race · How placements work

Issue by issue

AI-estimated from their own website, never told the candidate's party. The percentage is the AI's confidence in which way that stance leans. An issue appears only when the AI finds a clearly stated position (it must be at least 60% sure they took one) and is at least 70% confident in its direction; otherwise we leave the issue out. The exact instructions

Funding

$2,610 raised.

Source: Virginia Department of Elections (COMET), reports through 2026-10-22.

More about A.J. Harpold

Campaign website · Facebook · Instagram · Ballotpedia

Social accounts are the ones linked from the candidate's own campaign site, or listed on Wikidata.

Are you A.J. Harpold?

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Also running

• Mark W. Henrickson · Independent
• Jeffrey K. Hoeflich-Nickels · Independent
• H. Hunter Holliday III · Republican
• Jonathan D. "J.D." Taylor · Republican

Compare everyone in this race →

Next elections here

• Virginia election 2027 · November 2, 2027: All 100 House of Delegates seats and all 40 state Senate seats
• 2028 presidential election · Who has filed so far, from FEC filings

Quick answers

What party is A.J. Harpold?

A.J. Harpold is running as an Independent.

What does the Salem City Council seat do?

Your city's legislative body. Passes local ordinances, sets the city budget and property-tax rate, and makes zoning and development decisions; often hires the city manager.

Who is A.J. Harpold running against?

Mark W. Henrickson, Jeffrey K. Hoeflich-Nickels, H. Hunter Holliday III and Jonathan D. "J.D." Taylor, for Salem City Council.

How much money has A.J. Harpold raised?

$2,610 as of the latest state campaign-finance filings.

Should I vote for A.J. Harpold?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Compare A.J. Harpold's record, funding and endorsements with the other candidates in this race and decide based on what matters to you.