Kenneth Cooper Alexander

Kenneth Cooper Alexander (born October 17, 1966) is an American politician serving as mayor of Norfolk, Virginia, since July 2016.

Alexander also serves as chancellor for twenty career colleges which includes: (i) Centura College; a healthcare, business, and skilled trade programs school with four campuses in Hampton Roads and one in Richmond, Virginia; (ii) Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM), founded in Norfolk and now operating fourteen campuses nationwide and growing to become the largest system of aviation maintenance schools in the country; (iii) Tidewater Tech, a trade school located in Norfolk which offers welding and automotive mechanics programs and is currently the largest supplier of certified welders and HVAC technicians in the Commonwealth. The growth and work of this trade schools college system led to the establishment of the only Wind Turbine Technician program in the Mid-Atlantic, currently being offered at the Centura Norfolk Campus.

Alexander also serves as president of Metropolitan Funeral Services.

A native of Norfolk, he served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2002 to 2012, representing the 89th District in Norfolk. He served in the Senate of Virginia from 2012 to 2016, representing the 5th District in Norfolk and Chesapeake.

Alexander has been a guest columnist in Virginia newspapers, lecturer on political science and leadership studies, and he is the author of Persistence: Evelyn Butts and the African American Quest for Full Citizenship and Self-Determination (2021).

Early life and education Born in 1966, Alexander grew up in the neighborhoods of Berkley and South Norfolk, at the crossroads of the cities of Norfolk and Chesapeake. He attended Lake Taylor High School where he was drum major of the marching band and served as parliamentarian of the student body, graduating in 1985.

Alexander next earned an associate degree in Mortuary Science from Brightpoint Community College, formerly John Tyler Community College, and a bachelor's degree in Political Science from Old Dominion University. He completed a master's degree in Diplomacy from Norwich University. In 2019, Alexander earned a PhD in Leadership and Change from Antioch University.

Career Alexander was a political science instructor at Tidewater Community College. In May 2002, Governor Mark Warner appointed the 89th District incumbent, Jerrauld Jones, to be director of the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice. Alexander won the Democratic nomination, and won the special election on August 6 with 72% of the vote in a three-way race. In a special election on September 4, 2012, Alexander was elected to the Virginia Senate representing the 5th Senate District; he succeeded Senator Yvonne Miller, who died in office.

On May 3, 2016, he was elected mayor of Norfolk, Virginia with 51.6% of the vote in a three-way race. He is the city's first black mayor. He would be re-elected in 2020 and again 2024.

During Alexander's tenure as mayor, Norfolk's contract with Flock Safety has drawn public criticism from residents and privacy advocates.

Electoral history Date Election Candidate Party Votes % Virginia House of Delegates, 89th district August 6, 2002 Special K C Alexander Democratic 3,927 72.57 L Horsey Republican 1,122 20.74 S W Battle 348 6.43 Write Ins 14 0.26 Jerrauld Jones resigned; seat remained Democratic November 4, 2003 General K C Alexander Democratic 5,436 97.75 Write Ins 125 2.25 November 8, 2005 General K C Alexander Democratic 11.069 76.67 J G Behr Republican 3,350 23.20 Write Ins 18 0.12 November 6, 2007 General Kenneth Cooper Alexander Democratic 5,265 96.62 Write Ins 184 3.37 November 3, 2009 General Kenneth Cooper Alexander Democratic 10,659 81.02 Anthony J. "Trip" Triplin 2,448 18.60 Write Ins 49 0.37 November 8, 2011 General Kenneth Cooper Alexander Democratic 5,821 96.82 Write Ins 191 3.17 Senate of Virginia, 5th district September 4, 2012 Special Kenneth Cooper Alexander Democratic 3,643 98.51 Write Ins 55 1.48 Yvonne B. Miller died; seat remained Democratic Norfolk Mayor May 3, 2016 General Kenneth Cooper Alexander 16,397 51.68 Robert J. McCabe 7,276 22.93 Andy A. Protogyrou 8,022 25.29