"“Holly [Edwards] became one of my teachers,” said retiring City Councilor Kendra Hamilton at a press conference April 12 announcing the candidacy of Holly Edwards for City Council. Hamilton addressed a crowd of 30 gathered in a multipurpose room in the public housing high-rise Crescent Halls. “She taught me what a privileged little buppie I was and she did it very kindly and very gently.”

It was the fourth such announcement from a Democrat seeking office on Charlottesville City Council, and at least one more reportedly is to come, from incumbent Mayor David Brown. That’s five candidates gunning for three available spots.

“They’re all capable—it’s going to be a tough race,” says former City Councilor Blake Caravati. In 2002, he was one of six vying for two Democratic nominations. “I didn’t even win on the first ballot, and I was a mayor too,” says Caravati with a chuckle. “Yeah, it’s nail biting. It’s horrible, for the individual candidate anyway.” Though it only takes 125 signatures to petition one’s way onto the ballot as an independent, none of the Democratic also-rans did so in 2002.

“The name of the game is talking to as many Democrats as you can,” says Caravati. “That means you’ve got to make 1,000-plus phone calls.” The Charlottesville Democratic Committee will hold a nominating convention to select its city council candidates on June 2.

One candidacy question was answered April 14, when incumbent Kevin Lynch, who has served since 2000, announced that he will step down.

“This applies for me, and others: Eight years is enough, from several respects,” Caravati says.

“It’s a very taxing job. Kevin and David both take it very seriously and they spend above 20 to 40 hours a week doing it. That’s very taxing to family and business.”" (Will Goldsmith, C-Ville Weekly, April 17, 2007)