NAACP Alexandria Names Hopkins-Gillispie as Branch Nominee
The branch's Nominating Committee has put forward John Hopkins-Gillispie for president, with members voting by electronic ballot on November 19, 2026.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Elections
The NAACP Alexandria Branch 7043 Nominating Committee named John Hopkins-Gillispie as its nominee for branch president, presented at the October general membership meeting for the 2027-2028 term. Branch members will vote by electronic ballot on November 19, 2026.
Why it matters
The branch's leadership choice will shape local civil rights work in Alexandria over the next two-year term. Hopkins-Gillispie's record in fundraising and legal redress oversight is central to what members will weigh before voting.
The slate covers the 2027-2028 term and the election will be conducted by electronic ballot on November 19, 2026. The Freedom Fund Dinner raised more than $40,000 this year, while the proposed platform targets 20 percent membership growth in year one and $50,000 in reserves by end of 2028, with the current baseline for both not provided.
The players
John Hopkins-Gillispie
A Georgetown Law graduate who served nearly four years as Governor Terry McAuliffe's personal aide and is a longtime life member of the Alexandria NAACP branch.
NAACP Alexandria Branch 7043
The local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People serving Alexandria, Virginia, which handles civil rights advocacy and discrimination complaints in the area.
The details
Hopkins-Gillispie is a life member of the branch who has chaired the Freedom Fund Dinner for two years and serves on the Legal Redress Committee, which reviews discrimination complaints. He also co-chairs the host committee for the 2027 Virginia State Conference convention and previously ran field operations in Fairfax County during the 2013 gubernatorial race.
Timeline
October 2026: Nominating Committee presents slate at general membership meeting.
November 19, 2026: Branch members vote by electronic ballot for president.
End of 2028: Proposed target for building branch reserves to $50,000.
Season Trajectory
Local NAACP branches like Alexandria 7043 operate under the national organization's structure, with elected presidents setting priorities for legal redress and community programming. This leadership cycle follows the same two-year term model that branches across Virginia use to renew their local direction.
Alexandria residents who are NAACP members will decide the branch president through an electronic ballot on November 19, 2026. The winner's priorities, including the Legal Redress Committee's handling of discrimination complaints, will shape how the branch responds to local issues such as the proposed data center on Edsall Road.
The takeaway
Leadership elections at the local level determine how civil rights organizations respond to community concerns, and members with voting rights should review the candidate's stated priorities before November 19, 2026. Attending the branch's general membership meetings is the most direct way to ask questions before the ballot closes.
What happens next
Branch members will vote by electronic ballot on Thursday, November 19, 2026, to choose the president for the 2027-2028 term.
Further reading
For more on how local leadership races are decided, see Elections coverage for Alexandria.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ALXnow | Alexandria, Va. breaking news, local events and community happenings.
