Summary
Current Position: State Delegate of District 89 since 2018
Affiliation: Democrat
Jay Jones completed his undergraduate studies at the College of William and Mary, where he was a double major in Government and History, and obtained his law degree from the University of Virginia. Upon graduation from law school, Jay began practicing law in Norfolk. Prior to attending law school, he was an associate with Goldman Sachs where he focused on risk management and rating advisory.
Jay was raised in a family that believes deeply in public service and devotion to our city and its people. Currently, Jay serves as a member of the board of the Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern Virginia.
OnAir Post: Jay Jones
About
Source: Campaign page
Delegate Jerrauld “Jay” Jones is a lifelong resident of the 89th House District and he strives to make a positive impact in his community each and every day. Jay is running to be the 89th District’s representative for the House of Delegates because of his deep and abiding love for the City of Norfolk. Jay Jay has served as a mentor with the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization and served as a tutor and mentor to local schoolchildren.
Jay completed his undergraduate studies at the College of William and Mary, where he was a double major in Government and History, and obtained his law degree from the University of Virginia. Upon graduation from law school, Jay began practicing law in Norfolk. Prior to attending law school, he was an associate with Goldman Sachs where he focused on risk management and rating advisory.
Jay’s family has a long history of service to the city. His grandfather, Hilary H. Jones, Jr., was a pioneer in the Civil Rights Movement. A lawyer, he became the first African American appointed to the Norfolk School Board and subsequently the State Board of Education.
Both of Jay’s parents are longtime public servants. Jay’s father, Jerrauld C. Jones, served eight terms in the House of Delegates representing the 89th District. He stepped down in 2002 to accept an appointment by Governor Mark Warner to serve as the Director of the Department of Juvenile Justice for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Jay was raised in a family that believes deeply in public service and devotion to our city and its people. Currently, Jay serves as a member of the board of the Boys and Girls Club of Southeastern Virginia. He is also a board member of Festevents, Ltd., the private not-for-profit organization which is the official event marketing and production agency for the City of Norfolk. Jay also serves on the Old Dominion University Athletic Foundation’s Next Generation Board and is a lifelong member of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception.
In his spare time, Jay enjoys attending Tides games at Harbor Park, attending festivals, concerts, and other events around Norfolk, and spending time with friends and family.
Experience
Work Experience
- Attorney
Education
- JD
University of Virginia School of Law
2015 - B.A., History and Government
College of William and Mary in Virginia
2010
Personal
- Birth Year: 1989
- Place of Birth: Norfolk, VA
- Gender: Male
- Race(s): African American
- Religion: Roman Catholic
Membership & Affiliation
Basilica of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception
Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Virginia (board member)
Elizabeth River Trail Foundation (board member)
Festevents, Ltd. (board member)
Old Dominion Athletic Foundation (Next Generation board member)
Contact
Legislative Assistant: Alex Q. Askew
Administrative Assistant During Session: Susan Bain
Email:
- Government – DelJJones@house.virginia.gov
Offices
Capitol Office
Pocahontas Building
900 E. Main St,
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Phone: (804) 698-1089
District Office
P.O. Box 2892
Norfolk, VA 23501
Phone: (757) 529-1455
Web
Government Page, Campaign Site, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
Politics
Source: none
Recent Elections
2019
| Jerrauld C. “Jay” Jones (D) | 14,398 | 96.18% |
| Write-In (Write-in) | 572 | 3.82% |
| TOTAL | 14,970 |
2017
| Jay Jones (D) | 16,541 | 84.5% |
| Terry Richard Hurst (L) | 2,944 | 15.0% |
| Write In (Write-in) | 97 | 0.5% |
| TOTAL | 19,582 |
Finances
JONES, JERRAULD C (JAY) has run in 2 races for public office, winning 1 of them. The candidate has raised a total of $311,791.
Source: Follow the Money
Committees
Committees
Transportation
Finance
General Laws
Subcommittees
Finance – Subcommittee #1
General Laws – Subcommittee #3
Transportation – Subcommittee #2
Appointments
Voting Record
See: Vote Smart
New Legislation
Source: Virginia Legislative Information System
Issues
Source: Campaign page
Civil Rights
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM
Embedded in my ideas for a successful community that thrives economically well into the future is a belief in a justice system that is fair and equal to all citizens. As an attorney, I know that Virginia is long overdue to reassess the community-wide effects of a number of its criminal procedures.
I am also a strong proponent of a simpler process for the restoration of voting rights for offenders that have served their time and repaid their debt to society. We should be encouraging ex-offenders to engage civically and return to the workforce as productive members of the community.
Economy
Jobs
As your delegate, I will support policies that seek to expand our economy and diversify the workforce. Specifically, I will work to help make Norfolk the premier destination in our region for entrepreneurs to jumpstart their small businesses and contribute to the continued growth and economic diversification of our region.
The Commonwealth and Norfolk must continue to find ways to support entrepreneurs continued innovation and expansion. Governor McAuliffe has partnered with Virginia Commonwealth University and Junior Achievement of Central Virginia to host a Virginia Entrepreneurial Challenge for high school juniors and seniors from across Virginia. I will work with the Governor to launch similar regional opportunities for our young entrepreneurs here in Norfolk.
Second, I will work tirelessly to support the growth of small businesses in our region. Small businesses are the life-blood of job growth in America and they are the key to the economic diversification of our region. They provide the majority of all jobs in the country and over two-thirds of all new jobs since the 1970s. Norfolk has taken a stand as a city ready to support the growth of small businesses in our region. As your legislator, I will push the state to be an equal partner for our job creation initiatives.
Education
We need to ensure that our children have access to the strongest educational curriculum possible so they may become the innovators and producers of our Commonwealth. Companies continue to examine the strength of a workforce by the strength of the educational opportunities available to them. By investing in our educational institutions at all levels, we can give graduates the skills necessary to becoming the innovators of the future. A strong local school system provides a consistent skilled workforce for new businesses looking to find a home in Norfolk.
I am committed to providing resources to our K-12 students, including opportunities for vocational and technical training to ensure they have the skills they need to be successful in the workforce. Also, I am committed to ensuring that higher education in Virginia remains affordable for all students.
Environment
As a coastal city, Norfolk cannot ignore sea level rise. For our investments in job creation, education, and transportation to be sustainable for future generations, we must tackle the growing regional threat of climate change. I will support and sponsor legislation aimed at addressing the increased threat of rising seas while protecting the integrity and natural beauty of the Elizabeth River and the Chesapeake Bay.
The City of Norfolk has been a leader in coastal resiliency and adaptation, but more can be done at the state level. I applaud the work of the Joint Subcommittee on Coastal Flooding and the Commonwealth Center for Recurrent Flooding Resiliency at Old Dominion University. I support more coordination at the state level to ensure our coastal communities are taking advantage of any available federal funding for major adaptation projects.
Infrastructure
TRANSPORTATION
Our region’s diverse transportation network must be a top priority in the General Assembly to support continued economic growth. As the economic driver of the Hampton Roads region, the Commonwealth should invest in a variety of transportation options, including roads, trains, and transit, to service the needs of Norfolk citizens and businesses. I support the continued expansion of light rail in the city and to surrounding areas to meet the demands of our regional economy.
The General Assembly’s landmark bi-partisan transportation funding legislation during the 2013 session has already begun to transform our transportation network. New funding has supported the expansion of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT), expansion of I-64 on the Peninsula, expansion of the High-Rise Bridge, and expanded military highway interchange. This is just the beginning. Hampton Roads must find a long-term funding solution for our growing transit needs so we can continue investing in our transportation infrastructure for the future of our region
