On the Ballot: Cameron Craddock Howe for Lynchburg City Council

Cameron Craddock Howe is an independent, GoodParty.org Certified candidate for city council in Lynchburg, Virginia. Howe is running to represent Ward 1, which includes northwest Lynchburg.

On November 5, 2024, Howe will compete in the general election against one Republican candidate and one Democratic candidate. The incumbent city council member for Ward 1, MaryJane Dolan, is not running for reelection to a third term.

Cameron Craddock Howe shared with GoodParty.org why she is especially qualified to represent Ward 1 in Lynchburg.

“With a deep-rooted connection to the Lynchburg community and extensive experience in local governance and social services, I am uniquely qualified to represent our ward,” Howe said. “Currently, I work in community development as a zoning official, immersing myself daily in our city's ordinances and contributing to the heart of our municipal operations. My background includes working in mental health, with the homeless population, and in foster care systems, which has given me valuable insights into supporting some of our most vulnerable populations.”

In addition to this wealth of experience, Howe shared that she grew up in Ward 1 and graduated from Lynchburg public schools.

“I bring a personal and professional perspective that is deeply aligned with the needs of our community,” she said.

Howe currently serves as president of the board of directors for the Greater Lynchburg Transit Company. She was appointed to the board in 2019 by the Lynchburg City Council. 

“We’ve passed several great initiatives, such as the expectation that board members ride the bus at least once yearly in their daily life, expanding service to seven days a week, making fare free for extreme weather, making fare free one Thursday in September to help riders obtain access to government agencies necessary for ID obtaining or voter registration, and fare-capping. We just launched a pilot program of micro-transit through part of the city,” Howe said, summarizing the board’s achievements since 2019.

Howe said she decided to run for the Lynchburg City Council after discovering new opportunities for change in the community.

“Over the last winter, I volunteered for our emergency warming shelter and I saw some missed opportunities,” Howe said. “With a large number of individuals attending the shelter that were unhoused but not on the city’s radar as needing services, there were no intakes into social services, lists of resources provided by community partners, or even information about the buses running free because of the cold. I believe small changes can make a big difference. I want to be able to do more with less, and that means we need to be proactive and lean into a community approach to solve the complex issues we are facing.”

Some of the issues Howe is prioritizing in her campaign include improving students’ experiences in Lynchburg schools, ensuring safe streets and schools, and developing a sensible, transparent tax policy. The Lynchburg City School Board is appointed by the city council, making Howe’s emphasis on education particularly impactful.

Overall, Howe said her campaign is about serving the community.

“This campaign isn’t about me. It is about us. We are in this together. I want to do more with less, and to do that we need collaboration, a variety of viewpoints, and the willingness to work together,” she said.

Running for office as an independent candidate also gives Howe a unique ability to collaborate across party lines.

“The two-party system has become polarizing and no longer serves us. Especially when looking at a local level, these are our neighbors, coworkers, and friends. We shop at the same grocery store, cheer for our kids on the same fields, and pass each other on the street. We have to find a way to work together without partisan agendas. Working collaboratively together is vital to our success as a community. This isn’t about politics, it is about people,” Howe said.

Want to learn more about Cameron Craddock Howe’s campaign for the Lynchburg City Council? Visit her campaign website for more information and to find ways to get involved.

Not sure which city council district you live in? Enter your address in the city’s interactive map to find out.

You can also learn more about how GoodParty.org is helping independent candidates run, win, and serve their communities. Explore more spotlights on GoodParty.org Certified candidates, or learn about the free campaign tools we offer independent candidates across the country.

Photo by Lukas Souza on Unsplash